Medical Action (Myanmar)

Medical Action Myanmar is a new Dutch medical aid organization, whose mission it is to improve access to health care for the poorest of Myanmar people.

People in Myanmar have to pay for the health services themselves and most cannot afford to do so.  The motivation for the creation of this NGO comes from the large unmet health needs, the very small amount of international aid and the tragic consequences this has for the health status of the Myanmar people.
The initiative is from Dr Frank Smithuis (previous director Medecins sans Frontieres Myanmar 1994-2009), Dr Ni Ni Tun, Dr Tun Tun Lwin and Mr Rene Mous, who are working with a team of very committed and experienced national health professionals.

Why Medical Action in Myanmar?

Myanmar’s health system is under-funded. National investment is insufficient and the international community provides very little support. Myanmar citizens receive the lowest amount of development aid (ODA) of all “least developed countries” i.e. 4 USD per person per year compared to 38 USD in Cambodia and 50 USD in Laos, both countries with a higher gross national income (GNI). There are very few medical aid organizations in Myanmar and most operate on a very small scale.

People in Myanmar have to pay for the health services themselves and most cannot afford to do so. As a result, tens of thousands of people, mostly children, die each year of diseases like malaria, tuberculosis, HIV, respiratory tract infections and other simple and treatable diseases.