Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Yangon (Agenzia Fides) – At the recently held UN World Health Organization (WHO) second forum on human resources for health in Bangkok (25-29 January), experts sought new strategies to attract and retain health workers in the most remote areas. In fact, Myanmar is one of 57 countries worldwide facing a critical shortage of medical staff, defined as fewer than 23 health workers per 10,000 people, the minimum needed to provide 80 percent coverage for births and measles immunizations.
in rural Myanmar - where 70 percent of the country's 58 million people live - most villages lack basic healthcare. Patients travel hours - in some hilly regions nearly an entire day - to reach hospitals or clinics located only in towns. According to the Health Minister's estimates, in 2010 throughout the Country, there were 1,504 rural health centres for 65,000 villages. In an effort to fill the gap, a dozen health international NGOs are providing free medical care, but the demand far outstrips their capacity, according to one NGO.
Myanmar had an estimated 13 doctors and nurses/midwives per 10,000 residents. According to the Government, as of 2010, there were about 26,000 doctors, 23,800 nurses and 19,000 midwives nationwide. In Myanmar There are 14 public universities offering medical courses in Myanmar, in which 3,780 students are enrolled in diverse disciplines. Often medical students come from wealthy urban families and are unwilling to serve in poor rural areas. Salaries in rural areas are discouraging and thus, most health workers prefer to work in cities where private hospitals and clinics pay higher salaries; others emigrate. In general, half the world's population live in rural areas, but fewer than 38% of nurses and 25% of doctors work there. (AP) (1/2/2011 Agenzia Fides)
