Mawlamyine, MyanmarIn the Mawlamyine area of Myanmar, The Leprosy Mission Canada supports three projects: the Mawlamyine Christian Leprosy Hospital (MCLH) Essential Leprosy Medical Services, the MCLH Integrated Rehabilitation Services, and the Mawlamyine Disability Resource Centre.
The MCLH Essential Medical Services project provides inpatient and outpatient care for all leprosy related care, including new case diagnosis, management of reactions, ulcer, reconstructive surgery, rehabilitation, spiritual and social care. General medical services are provided for those requesting it, including people affected by leprosy and many poor people unable to afford medical services.
The MCLH Integrated Rehabilitation Services is designed to provide people with leprosy in southern Myanmar with prompt, affordable, and effective physical and socio-economic rehabilitation, in order to increase their self-dignity and improve their quality of life. Rehabilitation will be provided in the local community through capacity building of persons affected by leprosy, community workers, health workers and community leaders.
The Mawlamyine Disability Resource Centre aims to improve health status, quality of life and community participation of people who are disadvantaged by disability. This is done through educational, physical and socio-economic rehabilitation, health promotion, provision of mobility aids (when necessary) and community development. In the area there is a high need for rehabilitation for people affected by leprosy, especially for prevention of disability training.
All three of these programs play an important role in raising awareness about leprosy, which in turn empowers people affected by leprosy and improves their lives. Stigma due to leprosy is high in the region, so one of the strategies for reducing stigma is caring for both leprosy and non-leprosy patients together in the hospital's wards. This interaction breaks down stigma and brings all members of the community together.
Fast Facts:
- Mawlamyine is the capital city of Mon Sate, one of the fourteen states in Myanmar
- Around 150 people attend the dermatology outpatient clinic each week at Mawlamyine Hospital
- Mon State has around 4 million inhabitants
- Myanmar’s population is 52 million people, most of whom live in rural areas
- The adult literacy rate is around 60% for males and 65% for females
- The average daily income is less than $1 USD a day
- Buddhism is the dominant religion, followed by Christianity and Islam
- Midwives provide the backbone of rural health service delivery in the country, including frontline diagnosis, treatment and referral of new leprosy cases
- About 80,000 to 90,000 people suffer from disabilities due to leprosy, mostly related to functional loss of eyes, hands and feet
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Photos from around the Hospital
Photos from the Hospital's Lab, Outpatient, Ward Areas
Photos from the Disability Resource Centre
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