42 A NATION LEFT BEHIND Myanmar well-equipped to battle Covid-19, says health ministry spokesperson Centralization a major cause of Burma’s healthcare woes, ethnic health providers say Excerpts from Q&A with Dr. Tha Tun Kyaw, Excerpts from Q&A with Khoon Phillip, Excerpts from Q&A with Khoon Phillip, Director of ethnic health network in Karenni Director of ethnic health network in State. Published by Kantarawaddy Times in BNI Karenni State. Published by Kantarawaddy on 15 April 2020.122 Times in BNI on April 15, 2020.122 MoHS spokesperson. Published in Myanmar Excerpts from Q&A with Dr. Tha Tun Now on 5 April 2020.121 Kyaw, MoHS spokesperson. Published in Myanmar Now on April 5, 2020.121 “The health ministry provides technical advice on restrictions but local authorities and administrations have to implement and enforce them themselves.” “If there are more infections, we’ve arranged to expand treatment capacity at hospitals. Depending on the patient’s condition, we’ll put them at Wai Bar Gi Hospital or South Okkalapa Hospital in Yangon. In Mandalay, there is Kantaw Nadi Hospital, and we’ve arranged for the treatment of patients at public hospitals in different states and regions.” “The government has formed one committee led by the vicepresident (Myint Swe) and another by state counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi. Both committees are working with several government ministries, including ours.” “There should be no difficulty regarding medical professionals. We have enough equipment, medicine and medical professionals.” VS VS “The decisions made by [Burma’s] central government do not really fit with the needs of the ethnic regions. For example, if there is an outbreak of a disease then staff at the lower level have to report this outbreak to the various upper levels. Then they have to wait for orders from these upper levels [before they can take action].” “Where there are populated, crowded areas in towns or cities, there are many clinics. In remote areas there are less people, so the government doesn’t consider setting up clinics there… it’s like the government has ignored the healthcare needs of local people in mountainous areas. That’s why these local people cannot access the government’s healthcare system.” VS “Staff are trained by the central government. At the ground level, these staff do not understand our ethnic languages, or the customs and culture of the ethnic people.” VS “[The government] only builds buildings, but they do not provide medical staff, medicines, and medical equipment. If a local villager is sick, even if there is a nurse in the clinic, there might be no medicine or medical equipment, and the nurse can do nothing.” 121 Nyan Hlaing Lin. “Myanmar well-equipped to battle Covid-19, says health ministry spokesperson.” Myanmar Now. 5 April 2020. Available at: https://myanmar-now.org/en/news/myanmar-well-equipped-to-battle-covid-19-sayshealth-ministry-spokesperson 122 Kantarawaddy Times. “Centralization a Major Cause of Burma’s Healthcare Woes, Ethnic Health Providers Say.” 15 April 2020. Burma News International. Available at: https://www.bnionline.net/en/news/centralization-major-cause-burmas-healthcare-woes-ethnic-health-providers-say