The Three Millennium Development Goal Fund will partner with the with United Nations Population Fund to support the Myanmar Health Ministry’s plans to strengthen the health system, according to a press release from the fund on March 5.
The US$909,500 funding agreement signed March 5 between Mr Sanjay Mathur, UNOPS Director and Representative in Myanmar and Ms Janet Jackson, UNFPA Representative in Myanmar, will contribute to the Ministry of Health’s work on information for planning and strategy planning, as well as work to ensure enough trained health staff are available to provide necessary services.
Mr Mathur said: “With UNFPA’s significant expertise in the areas of maternal and reproductive health, gender equality and population and development strategies, this partnership furthers the contribution of 3MDG Fund to strengthening health systems and responds to the Ministry of Health’s priorities for attaining universal health coverage in Myanmar.”
 
“The Ministry of Health recently has drafted a number of key policies which promise to impact positively on reproductive health and rights in Myanmar. Funding from 3MDG gives impetus to this endeavour and extends farther the partnership, giving added opportunity for states and regions to get up-to-date and enable them to engage concretely in policy implementation. This will bring more consistency and strength to sector service provision on the ground, especially in the public sector,” said Ms Jackson.
The partnership with UNFPA will help advance the development of an essential package of health services particularly focused on the needs of women and children, and support to design and implement a costed action plan for the Ministry of Health’s Health Workforce Strategic Plan.