Myanmar health professionals' educational needs: a pilot study

Main Article Content

Gloria Mosca
Valentina Cappi
Clelia D'Apice
Sandra Rossi
Giovanna Artioli
Leopoldo Sarli

Keywords

Myanmar;, health professionals;, educational needs;, Myanmar health system;, Myanmar primary care;

Abstract

Background and aim of the work: The main factor hindering the development of the Myanmar health system lies in the scarcity of financial and human resources attributed to the health system. This paper presents the preliminary results of a pilot study on the educational needs of Myanmar health professionals, addressing the empowerment of human resources as a strategic pillar for delivering the essential packages of health services. Methods: An explorative study following a qualitative approach has been conducted through semi-structured interviews to a convenience sample of 15 persons, selected as authoritative key-informants. Results: In addition to the lack of infrastructures, medicines, ambulances and health instruments, and the health disparities between the urban and rural areas, some widespread problems are reported as requiring health professionals’ training empowerment: traumas due to road accidents, management of childbirth, non-communicable diseases’ management and poor health education of the population. Discussion: Some areas can be evidenced for an improvement of professionals, training: ​​maternal, neonatal and child health; communication between professionals and laypeople; Myanmar population’s health education; inter-professional training between doctors and nurses, but also between health personnel and non-health personnel. Conclusions: The educational needs of Myanmar health professionals emerge as closely related to the social and health needs of the Myanmar population, to the available resources and missing resources of the country’s health system and to the role of professionals within professionals/patients’ relationship. (www.actabiomedica.it)

Abstract 682 | PDF Downloads 274

References

1. Han SM, Rahman M, Rahman S, Swe KT, Palmer M, Sakamoto H, Nomura S, Shibuya K. Progress towards universal health coverage in Myanmar: a national and subnational assessment. Lancet Glob Health 2018; 6: e989-e997.
2. Sein TT, Myint P, Cassels A. How Can Health Equity be Improved in Myanmar? Myanmar Health Systems in Transition Policy Notes Series. World Health Organization 2015; 2: 1-7.
3. Tandon A, Murray CJL, Lauer JA, Evans DB. Measuring Overall Health System Performance for 191 Countries. World Health Organization GPE Discussion Paper 2000; 30: 1-23.
4. Ministry of Health and Sports. Myanmar National Health Plan 2017-2021; retrieved 30/12/2019 from http://mohs.gov.mm/Main/content/publication/national-health-plan-2017-2021-eng
5. Brennan E. Myanmar’s Public Health system and policy: improving but inequality still looms large, Teacircleoxford 2017 (August, 30); retrieved 29/12/2019 from https://teacircleoxford.com/2017/08/30/myanmars-public-health-system-and-policy-improving-but-inequality-still-looms-large-2/
6. Saw YM, Than TM, Thaung Y, Aung S, Shiao LWS, Win EM, Khaing M, Tun AN, Iriyama S, Win HH, Sakisaka K, Jimba M, Hamajima N, Saw TN. Myanmar’s human resources for health: current situation and its challenges. Heliyon 2019; 5:e01390.
7. Saw S, Manderson L, Bandyopadhyay M, Sein TT, Mon MM, Maung W. Public and/or private health care: Tuberculosis patients' perspectives in Myanmar. Health Research Policy and Systems 2009; 7: 19.
8. Soe KT, Saw S, van Griensven J, Zhou S, Win L, Chinnakali P, Shah S, Mon MM, Aung ST. International non-governmental organizations' provision of community-based tuberculosis care for hard-to-reach populations in Myanmar, 2013-2014. Infect Dis Poverty 2017; 6(1): 69.
9. Diamond-Smith N, Thet MM, Khaing EE, Sudhinaraset M. Delivery and postpartum practices among new mothers in Laputta, Myanmar: intersecting traditional and modern practices and beliefs. Culture, Health & Sexuality 2016; 18(9): 1054-1066.
10. Muecke JS, Newland HS, Ryan P, Ramsay E, Aung M, Myint S, Esmail-Zadeh R, Zborowska B, Selva D. Awareness of diabetic eye disease among general practitioners and diabetic patients in Yangon, Myanmar. Clin Exp Ophthalmol 2008; 36(3): 265-73.
11. Fullerton JT, Johnson P, Lobe E, Myint KH, Aung NN, Moe T, Linn NA. A Rapid Assessment Tool for affirming good practice in midwifery education programming. Midwifery 2016; 34: 36–41.
12. Tun KS, Wai KS, Yin Y, Thein MK, Postoperative handover among nurses in an orthopedic surgical setting in Myanmar: a best practice implementation project. JBI Database System Rev Implement Rep. 2019; 17: 2401-2414.
13. Nyunt MH, Aye KM, Kyaw KT, Han SS, Aye TT, Wai KT, Kyaw MP. Challenges encountered by local health volunteers in early diagnosis and prompt treatment of malaria in Myanmar artemisinin resistance containment zones. Malar J. 2016; 15: 308.
14. Burgess-Shannon J, Wootton M, Bowyer J, Taylor S, Halbert J. Exploring health-care provider experiences and attitudes towards inter-professional education in myanmar through semi-structured surveys and focus groups. 7th Congress of the European Academy of Paediatric Societies 2018; poster.
15. Teo HS, Jewelwayne Salcedo C. Myanmar Health Financing System Assessment Discussion Paper. World Bank 2018; 1-60.