In collaboration with UNITAR and The Defeat-NCD Partnership, Dr. Kaung and his team in Myanmar's NCD unit developed a cost-efficient operational plan covering 2021 and 2022 to address the country's rising burden of non-communicable diseases (NCD). With technical assistance from a programme coordinator and health economist provided by the partnership, the team built a multi-sectoral approach and applied financial modelling to create the plan.
Previously, Myanmar had a national NCD strategy, but it lacked a costed plan for service delivery. "Without a costed plan, we could not mobilize domestic funding or secure money from donors," explained Dr. Kaung.
During the planning process, Dr. Kaung's team identified significant gaps, including challenges in multi-stakeholder coordination, limited NCD-related communication and advocacy, and overwhelmed frontline health workers reluctant to prioritize NCD screening.
The newly developed two-year plan aims to support 11 million people by focusing on screening and treating five key NCDs: cardiovascular diseases, chronic respiratory diseases, diabetes, cancer, and mental health. Dr Kaung emphasized that addressing the rising trend of NCDs is critical to preventing further strain on Myanmar's healthcare system, government resources, and communities.
Dr. Kaung proposed establishing a nationwide electronic medical registration system at the community township level to improve healthcare access. He stressed the importance of integrating this system with existing health management information systems for greater efficiency and impact.
The collaboration with UNITAR and The Defeat-NCD Partnership marks a significant step forward in Myanmar's fight against NCDs, setting the foundation for sustainable healthcare improvements nationwide.
