Press Release

A Japan-Myanmar collaboration project has been materialized in Magway. On 27 November 2020, the building handover ceremony was virtually organized in Magway General Hospital upon the building construction completion of "the Project for Improvement of Magway General Hospital" implemented by the cooperation of Ministry of Health and Sports (MoHS), the Government of Japan and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).

The said project extended grants amount up to JPY 2,281,000,000 to improve the health services in Magway by 1) constructing 3 stories building with a new wing that includes obstetrics and gynecology ward, a neonatal unit, an Intensive Care Unit, an emergency department and Central Sterile and Supply Department and 2) providing the equipment required for the new facilities, thereby contributing to better living for residents in Magway Region. With the intention to facilitate smooth flow process, the new building will be connected to the existing building as the emergency unit and the imaging unit will be linked to each other on the ground floor, also the new building will be linked to existing operation theater complex and existing wards on the first floor.

"Japan has been supporting health system strengthening towards achieving UHC through upgrading top-referral hospitals such as General Hospitals in Loikaw, Lashio and Dawei and constructing New Yangon Specialist Hospital.", mentions Mr. Sakakura Noriji, Chief Representative of JICA Myanmar Office. Additionally, JICA has been approaching township level to contribute to the operationalization of National Health Plan of MoHS by enhancing basic health service delivery with holistic and life course approaches, supporting both service delivery (supply side) and community people (demand side) and increasing utilization of basic Essential Package for Health Services. With this purpose, the Technical Cooperation Project is being implemented for utilizing the Basic Health Services throughout the life course at the Rural Health Center and Sub- Rural Health Center of model sites in Magway Region.

"This project completion has been awaited as it is now that the citizens require better healthcare services. Though the project was planned before the pandemic, we believe it will contribute to COVID-19 response as well through strengthening the health system." Ms. K Thwe Aung, Senior Program Officer of JICA Myanmar Office says. In response to the pandemic, Japan / JICA has been accelerating the cooperation in the health sector through providing equipment and technical assistance for developing capacity of lab diagnosis, hospital treatment and infection prevention.

JICA believes that these contributions will improve the health care services for the people in Myanmar as well as strengthening bilateral friendship between Myanmar and Japan.