Myanmar (Burma)

Active Projects

• Defeat Malaria Activity
• Entomological Field Surveys in Selected High-Risk Dengue Transmission Areas

Overview

URC became active in Myanmar in 2011 under the Control and Prevention of Malaria (CAP-Malaria) Project in partnership with Save the Children International. CAP-Malaria supported an initiative to contain the spread of multi-drug resistant Plasmodium falciparum malaria in the Greater Mekong Sub-region. The project (2011 to 2016) worked to strengthen routine malaria control activities in selected townships along the Thai-Myanmar border focusing on community engagement and strengthening the capacity of community-level malaria workers and volunteers.

Today, URC continues to implement malaria control activities in Myanmar through the USAID and President’s Malaria Initiative funded Defeat Malaria Activity. URC carries out the work in partnership with the American Refugee Committee, Jhpiego, Duke University, the Global Health Institute, and two local partners, the Myanmar Health Assistant Association and the Myanmar Nurse and Midwife Association.  Defeat Malaria (2016 to 2022) aims to strengthen local health systems to respond to changing malaria epidemiological scenarios, including multi-drug resistance and insensitive resistance. The activity collaborates with public and private sector entities to ensure comprehensive and community-based coverage of at-risk populations including testing, treatment, health talks, long-lasting insecticidal net distribution, etc.

Additionally, URC partnered with Monash University and the Myanmar Ministry of Health and Sports in 2019 under the World Mosquito Program to conduct an entomological field survey in high-risk dengue transmission areas in Hlaing Tha Yar Township. The study will provide information on mosquito populations in target areas that could allow for a shift to potential dengue control activities.