Location: Yangon and Irrawaddy Delta region
Situation:
Bolstered by its victory in the February 2008 referendum, the military junta is hardly any less isolated internationally, with its support limited to a few other Asian countries led by China. The Burmese suffer from growing poverty, due as much to the restrictive economic policies as to under-investment in education and health. In health terms, AIDS continues to spread in the face of a lack of any appropriate response. Doctors of the World (DOW) intervened with an emergency programme after Cyclone Nargis struck the country in May 2008.

Activities:
The programme enabled access to primary care and drinking water for the populations affected by the cyclone. DOW ran five mobile clinics staffed mainly by Burmese health professionals and supervised, from Yangon, by expatriate personnel. One of these five clinics covered Yangon division, while the other four covered the delta areas (Pyapon, Kunyangung, Dedaye, Bogale). Surveillance of epidemiological risks (malaria, cholera) and malnutrition in children under five was also carried out.

Outlook:
Despite the numerous political obstacles, international aid finally managed to reach the population by making the most of existing health services. The emergency intervention has given way to a programme aimed at strengthening the community-based health system to enable monitoring of any post-cyclone health consequences.