Kayin/Karen State in southeast Myanmar is affected by the civil war, with areas controlled by government and others by Non-state actors (NSA). Health systems hence exist in parallel and service delivery is weak on both sides following decades of underfunding. In NSA areas, health indicators are very low.

Disadvantaged people in rural communities, including conflict-affected and vulnerable populations, have access to better basic health infrastructures and services and are enabled to contribute to local health governance through enhanced individual and organisational capacities.

The project will serve:

a population of 380,000 in 672 villages, incl.

• 14,000 pregnant women
• 30,000 children under 5

• Equitable access, use and quality of basic health services is improved in rural areas of target townships in southeast Myanmar
• Community are empowered to improve health and health governance.
• Government and ethnic health systems in southeast Myanmar are coordinated and strengthened

Expected results:  

• Coordinated township health plans rolled out in Kawkareik
• About 170 health centre based staff capacitated to provide supportive supervision and teamwork with community health staff.
• About 1300 community health cadres trained to support communities.
• Health centres with poor condition in target areas refurbished.
• About 550 inclusive village and village tract health communities capacitated, with women in decision-making roles.
• Community supported referral system to emergency obstetric care strengthened and about 6300 patients benefitted from referral funds.
  
• Community feedback mechanisms established and increasingly used by villagers to provide feedback on health services, in turn fed into policy dialogue.
• Exchanges between government and ethnic health organisations increased (process), if context allows.

Results from previous phases:  

• Open tender process conducted for one component of the project (PA2)
• Assessments have been conducted to serve as base to the project planning.
• A map of Kawkareik district has been produced showing all (government and ethnic) clinics.
• A Comprehensive Township Health Plan is developed for Kawkareik district.
• The dialogue between ethnic health organizations (EHOs) and State and District Health teams have been initiated/continued.

Ministry of Health

The 3MDG township ‘model’ is being used as a basis for this project, as well as key findings and recommendations from its Strategic Review. Lessons learned from the project implementation will be fed in Fund Board discussions.

Regular coordination meetings will take place with other main donors and implementing partners in the area, particularly the USAID PLE project and DfID.

Phase 1 01.03.2014 - 31.12.2018   (Completed)