HIV/AIDS is given high priority in Myanmar's National Health Plan (1996-2001), ranked third among 39 listed diseases after malaria and tuberculosis. The full range of Ministry of Health agencies have been encouraged to support HIV/AIDS prevention and control activities, guided by the National AIDS Program.

The Government's commitment and action on HIV/AIDS has grown markedly in recent years. A statement acknowledging the seriousness of the epidemic by Lieutenant-General Khin Nyunt, Secretary One of the State Peace and Development Council in early 2001 was an important landmark. However, the effectiveness of the national response is limited by the low availability of resources. International assistance to Myanmar is also scarce.

A new decentralization drive in the HIV/AIDS response is progressing, with State and Divisional AIDS Committees empowered by the National AIDS Committee to identify priorities in their areas, coordinating with the central level and organizing local activities. However, these area committees, as well as HIV/AIDS/STI teams in 27 townships, need to improve capacity in planning and in mobilizing multi-sectoral responses.

Among the other UNAIDS Cosponsors, WHO, UNDP and UNFPA are the most active in HIV/AIDS programming in Myanmar. PSI, World Vision, CARE, Medecins du Monde, Artsen Zonder Grenzen (the Netherlands branch of Medecins Sans Frontieres) and Save the Children (UK) have the largest country programs among NGOs operating in Myanmar.

The Myanmar Maternal and Child Welfare Association), the Myanmar Red Cross Society and the Myanmar Medical Association are also very active in HIV/AIDS prevention and care.

Sentinel Surveillance

Biannual sentinel seroprevalance surveillance in Myanmar is carried out in 21 townships. While it is still the main indicator of trends in the HIV/AIDS epidemic in Myanmar, the sentinel surveillance system is not yet fully reliable. In particular, being urban-based, it gives little information about migrants and the rural population.