‘Seven things this year’ encourages mothers of young children to practice key health interventions

© UNICEF Myanmar/2013/Wendy Myint-Myint Hla
Nan Klé Klé (far right), Leader of ‘Seven Things This Year’ Initiative in Taung Tan Su Ward of Hpa-an Township and her seven-member core group with the wife of village Ward (far left)

by Wendy Myint-Myint Hla

Hpa-an, Kayin State, 24 July 2013 – “I now wash my hands with soap before eating” says Nan Klé Klé, 27 years old, a leader of ‘Seven Things This Year’ Initiative of Taung Tan Su Ward in Hpa-an Township.

UNICEF extends ECD programme to children in remote areas of Kayin State

 

© UNICEF Myamar/2013/MyoThame
Four year old Su Yadana and her mother Saw Nwe at the ECD centre at Kawtbaw Post Primary School. Su Yadana enjoys reading books provided by UNICEF

By Ye Lwin

 

Kawkareik, Kayin State,  17 July, 2013:Saw Nwe, mother of four year old Su Yadana from Kawtbaw village is proud of her daughter who attends the UNICEF supported Early Childhood Development (ECD) centre with her friends.

The State of the World’s Children 2013 report launched in Yangon’s Aung San Stadium with sports and joyous participation of a hundred children

 

Including children with disabilities not only benefit them but enriches everyone in the society

 

By Zafrin Chowdhury

YANGON, Myanmar 14 JUNE 2013 – UNICEF’s global flagship report State of the World’s Children 2013 on children with disabilities was launched in Aung San Stadium today amidst joyous participation of a hundred children along with distinguished speakers and advocates calling for equitable rights and opportunities for children with disabilities.

Comprehensive Education Sector Review in Myanmar Sets the Path for Improving Quality of Education

©UNICEF Myanmar/2009/Zaw Zaw Tun

Myanmar, 8 November 2012: The Government of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar together with development partners officially launched a Comprehensive Education Sector Review (CESR) in the Myanmar capital Nay Pyi Taw on 23 October 2012.  The launching ceremony was chaired by the Deputy Minister of Education H.E Dr. Myo Myint and co-chaired by UNICEF Representative Mr Ramesh Shrestha and Mr Chris Elstoft, Assistant Director General of AusAID’s Mekong, Philippine, Myanmar and Regional Branch. 

Myanmar Launches New Vaccine to Strengthen Combat Against Major Childhood Illnesses

Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar, 6 November 2012: In a landmark move to improve child health, Myanmar’s Ministry of Health today officially introduced a new vaccine to protect children against five potentially life-threatening diseases.  Introduction of the Penta valent vaccine marks a milestone in Myanmar’s child immunization. It was announced in a ceremony hosted by the Ministry of Health with WHO and UNICEF.

The inaugural of the Penta valent vaccine was presided by the Minister of Health H. E. Dr. Phe Thet Khin. WHO Representative Dr. Herbert Tennakoon and UNICEF Myanmar Chief of Health Dr. Marinus Gotink and Mr. Dagfinn Hoybraten, Chairman of the Board for GAVI, also spoke at the event.

The introduction of the new vaccine records an important stride in terms of Myanmar Government’s commitment to combat vaccine preventable diseases through co-financing of the vaccines to the amount of US$ 5 million over the next 5 years.

By combining Diphtheria, Pertussis, Tetanus, Hepatitis B and Hib vaccines, Penta valent helps prevent five infections more effectively among children under five years of age. The Haemophilus influenzae type b vaccine is an important addition to strengthen routine immunization and to improve child health. Children of Myanmar would now be protected against by five antigens with a single shot during routine immunization.

This will not only have a positive impact on child health, but would also save families the costs for health care; also save time and labour of health workers that can contribute to more effective and systematic management of the Myanmar immunization programme.

 

Penta valent vaccine is made available to the children of Myanmar with the support of GAVI Alliance, a Geneva-based public-private partnership that helps improve health in the world’s poorest countries. The introduction of new vaccine is through the partnership between the Government of Myanmar, WHO, UNICEF and the GAVI Alliance and other partners and civil society.

Myanmar now joins the list of 179 countries where Haemophilus influenzae type b has become part of national immunization schedules. Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) remains a leading cause of childhood bacterial meningitis and pneumonia, and can cause other serious infections for which children aged between 4 to 18 months are most at risk.