In 1998, the publication Burma Debate included my article "The Health of Burma's Women and Children," which was a critical assessment of the health situation in the country. It was a groundbreaking article in that as soon as it was published I received a midnight call from UNICEF's representative in Myanmar warning of a possible backlash from the government. As things seem to be changing in Myanmar, I hope this article contributes positively to improvements in that punished country. — C.C.
The rapid changes now taking place in Myanmar (aka Burma) are creating the conditions for renewed support of the country's precarious public health system, the right way to improve the Burmese people's dismal health status. This could be one of the most helpful measures foreign governments and organizations can give to the Burmese people.
In recent years public spending on Burma's public health system has been less than 0.5 percent of the country's gross domestic product. In 2000, Myanmar ranked as the second worst country in overall health system performance, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). In addition, there were wide inequities between urban and rural areas, and health services failed to cover the most peripheral regions in the country.