This report summarizes the results of a large-scale, population-based health survey, which covered 64 townships, 6,620 households, and a target population of 456,786 people. The survey was jointly conducted by members of the Health Information System Working Group (HISWG).
The survey results demonstrate that remote and confl ict-affected regions of eastern Burma continue to face critical health challenges. Some health outcomes in the region have improved, though it is clear that significant challenges remain. Mortality rates among infants and children under 5 in eastern Burma are far higher than Burma’s official figures for the country as a whole and more closely resemble other areas where complex humanitarian disasters have unfolded, such as Somalia. The three main causes of death across all age groups are attributable to largely preventable diseases such as diarrhea, malaria, and acute respiratory infections. Ethnic and community-based health service providers are responding strategically to health needs at the community level, but increases in support are needed in order to expand their reach and to address the chronic health crisis in the region.
A summary of the report is available here.