Reaching children in rural areas of Shan State by providing maternal and child care knowledge

By Alexander Win*

MAGYI SEIK, SHAN STATE - As a member of the team from UNICEF that travelled to Taunggyi Town in Shan State, for data collection on issues of maternal and child health in the area, my main role was to interview local health teams, mothers and children.  After an hour of driving towards Inle Lake from Taunggyi and after forty minutes of boat ride, our team finally reached a government health facility supported by UNICEF located in a village called Magyi Seik.

The local health team standing outside the health office receiving UNICEF health team in Magyi Seik village, Shan State.
©UNICEF Myanmar/2018/Alexander Win

The team’s warm welcome made me forget that this was my first time visiting Magyi Seik. I observed posters and charts on the walls of the health facility, displaying data on the percentage of immunization coverage; number of under-five child deaths; tracking system to follow high-risk mothers during pregnancy. For a health facility in such rural areas, the most important thing, I believe, is the visual information that makes everyone understand the message easily. 

At the health centre, I had the chance to interview a mother who came with her 2 years and 5 months old child. Ma Aye Aye Swe, 41, came to the health facility to get her child Ma Nwe Zin Win monitored for her growth rate, where I learned she always stayed in the green zone of the growth chart, meaning Ma Nwe Zin has a healthy and normal growth. However, Ma Nwe Zin Win is not her first child. Ma Aye Aye lost her first-born after the child’s first birthday from an acute respiratory infection. In rural areas like Magyi Seik, people face many challenges in getting to health facilities in time and receiving the right treatment. 

Ma Aye Aye Swe, holding her 2 years and 5-month-old child Ma Nwe Zin Win, in her arms at the health centre in Magyi Seik village, Shan State.
©UNICEF Myanmar/2018/Alexander Win

Aye Aye comes from a poor household and lacked basic resources, such as access to adequate food, water and health care services. In her community, there is only limited knowledge of good health practices and this is partly due to beliefs and taboos about what they eat, drink and how to maintain a house. 

Aye Aye has taken extra precautions with her second child from the start of her pregnancy and up to delivery at a hospital. Based on the guidance she received form health workers, she exclusively breastfed her child because she understands the importance and benefit of breast milk that provides babies with natural antibodies that help with resistance and prevents from risks of infant deaths. Aye Aye’s dedication made me realize how strong mothers are to protect, look after and care for their children when they have the right information.

UNICEF is supporting the Government of Myanmar to improve access to quality healthcare services in rural villages and communities like the one Ma Aye comes from through skills-based training to basic health staff, essential medicines and communication to communities and caregivers in order to improve their knowledge of healthy practices. Through such efforts, I hope that many more children in Myanmar can live to see their first birthday and beyond living better, safer and healthier lives. 

* Alexander Win volunteered for UNICEF Myanmar for three weeks and visited a UNICEF supported nutrition programme in Shan State