Health and nutrition
Working to improve access to child and maternal health and nutrition
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The challenge
The physical and mental health of a generation of Myanmar’s children is threatened by the current crisis. Social, economic and political uncertainty triggered by the military takeover of 1 February 2021 has put their futures, and even their lives, in peril.
A combination of economic shock, virtual collapse of the health system, the COVID-19 pandemic and conflict is laying waste to basic social safety nets, denying children access to the most basic of services, such as clean water and health services.
Good quality food, clean water, safety, education and consistent care and protection are currently beyond the reach of many children.
A generation in peril[1]
- Almost 30 per cent of preschool children show signs of being too short for their age (stunted).
- Seven percent of pre-school children are seriously underweight for their height (wasted).
- More than half of expectant mothers are anaemic, with serious consequences both for their own health, and for the health of their unborn babies.
- Mortality among under-fives remains high, at more than 37 deaths per 1,000 live births.
Recent health gains are being lost
- In recent years, significant improvements in maternal and child health services had reduced child mortality, creating the promise of improved childhood outcomes. The current crisis has led to backsliding and threatens the hard won progress already achieved.
- Conflict has disrupted the operation of many healthcare facilities.
- Threats and actual violence against health workers are disincentivising qualified staff from providing services.
- Economic upheaval has left families unable to afford already limited supplies of food.
- COVID-19 pandemic paralyzed the already weak health system, making access to essential health services such as immunization even more difficult.
- Every month, an estimated 77 mothers and 1,410 children could die because of lack of essential services in Myanmar[2].
Uncertain futures
This social and economic upheaval threatens the children’s futures, as well as the long-term prosperity of their communities.
- Children under the age of two face irreversible physical and cognitive delays if they are left undernourished for too long and may even die.
- Maternal undernutrition poses serious risks for both mother and child; malnourished mothers may not be able to adequately feed already underweight newborns
- Currently, close to five million children do not have sufficient vitamin A in their diets and cannot access supplements, putting them at risk of infection and, in serious cases, loss of vision.
- Almost one million children are missing out on routine immunization to protect against measles, polio, diphtheria and other diseases that can leave them with severe lifelong disability and even kill.
- Under-fives are particularly vulnerable to large outbreaks of diarrhoea that result from disrupted access to water, sanitation and hygiene services.
- Disruptions to services for people living with HIV not only threaten lives and futures, it also results in increased rates of transmission of HIV from mother to child.
The solution
This is a rapidly evolving humanitarian crisis. It is driving a rise in poverty and leaving Myanmar’s families powerless to safeguard the lives and futures of their children.
Prolonged disruption of services, including routine immunization may result in multiple outbreaks of vaccine preventable diseases, an uncontrolled spread of COVID-19 and further increase in morbidity and mortality.
UNICEF remains focused on the most vulnerable children and communities and continues to deliver life-saving results for them, at speed, and at scale.
UNICEF aims to:
- reach one million pregnant women and children to vaccinate them and deliver quality antenatal and new-born care.
- get Vitamin A supplements and nutritional supplements to five million children under the age of five.
In some of the most vulnerable urban areas, including parts of Yangon and Mandalay, we are:
- delivering first aid kits and essential medicines
- helping ensure that essential nutrition services reach children under five and pregnant and breast-feeding women.
We are helping to:
- revitalise the immunization services with a focus on provision of services to all Myanmar children and people,
- provide community-based maternal, newborn and child health services, including telemedicine, focusing on safe delivery, essential newborn care and child health services,
- provide essential nutrition services for severely malnourished children, Infant and Young Child nutrition, maternal nutrition, micronutrient supplementation and nutritional screening programs.
- introduce technology-based training for health care workers on providing trauma and emergency care for women and children.
- put in place a cash grant scheme for vulnerable families who have children aged between two and five, or a child with disabilities.
Progress so far
Nutrition
In Kachin, Rakhine and northern Shan States, UNICEF is working with partners to screen and treat children with severe acute malnutrition. We are providing children and pregnant women with life-saving micro-nutrient supplements, first aid kits, vitamins and essential medicines, and mothers are being reached with advice on infant and young child feeding.
In Rakhine State in May 2021, with UNICEF’s help, preventive nutrition services reached 13,986 children under the age of five and 3,965 pregnant and breastfeeding women, and 255 children were treated for severe malnutrition.
Nutrition services are being extended in two states. In Kayin State, we plan to support interventions in 120 villages in two townships. Similar services will soon reach more parts of Shan State and Ethnic Health Organization areas.
COVID-19 response
In response to the current COVID outbreak, UNICEF has provided personal protective equipment as well as oxygen concentrators, pulse oximeters, ventilators and accessories worth close to US$5 million to health facilities and partners.
Vaccination
Routine immunization has been suspended in most of the country; but in non-government controlled areas, UNICEF and its partners are delivering vital vaccinations against diseases such as measles, diphtheria and polio.
UNICEF is also working with WHO and other partners to accelerate COVID-19 vaccination availability through multiple channels, including through the COVAX facility.
[1] Demographic and Health Survey 2016
[2] Early estimates of the indirect effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on maternal and child mortality in low-income and middle-income countries: a modelling study - The Lancet Global Health
