3MDG Supports US$ 5M to Promote Maternal and Child Healthcare in Karenni State

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3MDG Supports US$ 5M to Promote Maternal and Child Healthcare in Karenni State

Burma News International, 24 Sep 2014

URL: http://www.bnionline.net/index.php/news/kantarawaddy/17519-3mdg-supports-us-5m-to-promote-maternal-and-child-healthcare-in-karenni-state.html
The Three Millennium Development Goal Fund (3MDG) will support US$ 5 millions for maternal and child health care plan in Karenni state, Billy Stewart, chairperson of 3MDG, said at a press conference in Loikaw hotel on 19 September.

The crucial healthcare project will be made and it will be jointly carried out by state government and non-government organizations.

The project assignments will be implemented in seven townships and those would cover healthcare of approximately 270,000 mothers and children. Despite the fact that mother-and-child healthcare situation developed, compared to recent years, more services needed in the rural areas.

Due to transportation troubles, some patients were not afforded to be sent to hospitals. In such a situation, 3MDG will support those troubled patients financially, said Billy Stewart.

“The essential healthcare assistance is vital to them. Regarding to this, there are difficulties for patients to reach hospitals in time, especially they need financial helps for transportation. So, there are still financial barriers in those areas and we want to fill the gap,” he said.

Concerning the healthcare project, government health department and non-governmental organizations have discussed for several times, the news source said.

“Health-workers on ground will help out patients in far-off villages. At some stage in field works, critical patients will be transferred to clinics and hospitals as there will be transport services in the project,” he said.

The Three Millennium Development Goal Fund (3MDG) is the biggest funding organization in Burma that targets reducing child mortality, improving maternal health and combating HIV, tuberculosis and malaria.

The application assessment team has been formed including Government Ministry of Health and 3MDG. The team has chose International Rescue Committee (IRC) in order to take care of mother-and-child healthcare services. The IRC was chosen in June 2014 to assist ministry of state health department, township health department and other related organizations in 7 townships in Karenni state.

The Fund is financed by seven major donors, amounting to over US$330 million between 2012 and 2016, with significant investment going to Maternal, Newborn and Child Health. As one of the largest fund in the Health sector in Myanmar, 3MDG involves a wide range of partners in an approach that prioritizes accountability, equity and inclusion. It works through the Government, UN agencies, international organizations and civil society to support the Government’s Health Reform agenda and deliver essential and life-saving services to communities.