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Community-based Health Services and System Strengthening Support in Sagaing


Three years after the military coup in Myanmar, targeted attacks and scrutiny in the health sector by the military junta led to a partial or total lack of access to healthcare in various regions, particularly in the dry zone. Through this project, Switzerland aims to support locally-led and inclusive community-based health system in Sagaing to provide essential, emergency, quality primary health care services, while ensuring the transition to a new decentralized and inclusive health system.

Country/region Topic Period Budget
Myanmar
Health
Humanitarian Assistance & DRR
Primary health care
Health systems strengthening
Protection, access & security
01.05.2024 - 30.04.2027
 CHF  600’000
The project in brief
Background The Sagaing region, where there was no conflict before the coup, became one of the strongest areas of resistance against the Myanmar military since then. As a result of arbitrary air strikes, artillery barrages and arson attacks, UNHCR reports that over a million people have been displaced and 58’525 houses burnt down in the Sagaing region. Many health professionals in Sagaing joined the Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM) against the junta and played a key role in providing essential health services to the local community in times of crisis, with limited resources and equipment. Some have organized themselves into a CDM network, while others have voluntarily emerged as the community-based clinics to provide health services in difficult to reach areas. With support from Switzerland, the Suu Foundation (SF) has partnered with the largest CDM health network in Sagaing, responding to primary health needs and Cyclone Mocha. Under this project, the SF will expand the coverage of health services through the existing CDM health network and six other community-based health organizations (CBHOs) in Sagaing. The comparative advantage of Switzerland is to facilitate crosslearnings from ACCESS to health fund and Primary Health Care project, particularly with regard to ethnic and community-based health system strengthening.
Objectives Vulnerable and conflict-affected communities in Sagaing have access to primary healthcare services through a decentralized and inclusive health system.
Target groups
  1. Pregnant / nursing mothers and their newborn children (1’000 women for family planning services, 2’500 women for antenatal care support and 350 women receiving incentives for institutional delivery and postnatal care support)
  2. The health care providers of Chindwin Medical and Humanitarian Network (CMHN) and six Community-Based Health Organizations (CBHOs) and the communities they serve
Medium-term outcomes
  1. Conflict-affected communities have access to primary healthcare, and especially maternal and child healthcare.
  2. Communities are empowered through community-led interventions and accountability mechanisms as well as capacity building of community-based health workers.
  3. Locally-led and inclusive community-based health system is strengthened through the coordinated health responses and trust-building among key health stakeholders.
Results

Expected results:  

1.1. 1’000 women for family planning services, 2’500 women for antenatal care support and 350 women receiving incentives for institutional delivery and postnatal care support

1.2. 8’000 beneficiaries for primary healthcare services, and local communities in 6 townships will receive health education sessions

2.1. Local stakeholders are more involved in local and state-wide decision-making/planning

2.2. Six CBHOs will be trained for tailor-made capacity-building trainings

3.1. Regular health coordination meetings will be co-created with and between stakeholders

3.2. Coordinated strategies for specific health issues for the Sagaing region will be developed


Results from previous phases:  

(small action Humanitarian aid)

  • 591 women have receivedsafe delivery and post natal support
  • 3’863 women for ante natal care
  • 3’602 women for Family Planning
  • School health services have been provided in 164 schools in 9 townships covering 28’169 students
  • As response to MOCHA cyclone, food and cash assistance were provided to 3’061 Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) from 600 households, which included 25 pregnant women, 111 breastfeeding mothers, 237 children under the age of five years old, 40 persons with disability and 188 elderly people
Directorate/federal office responsible SDC
Project partners Contract partner
International or foreign NGO
  • Suu Foundation (SF)


Coordination with other projects and actors Synergies within the Swiss portfolio outcome 3 such as Primary Health Care (PHC), Women and Girls First (WGF) programme, Access to Health Fund/ Health Equity Initiative (HEI) and Hsay-Yoo project under localization window. Coordination with other Swiss multilateral contributions such as Myanmar Humanitarian Fund (MHF) and Livelihoodsand Food Security Fund (LIFT) especially on maternal and child cash transfers (MCCT).
Budget Current phase Swiss budget CHF    600’000 Swiss disbursement to date CHF    146’986 Total project since first phase Swiss budget CHF   0 Budget inclusive project partner CHF   600’000
Project phases Phase 1 01.05.2024 - 30.04.2027   (Current phase)
  • Sector according to the OECD Developement Assistance Commitiee categorisation HEALTH
    HEALTH
    EMERGENCY RESPONSE
    Sub-Sector according to the OECD Developement Assistance Commitiee categorisation
    Basic health care
    Health policy and administrative management
    Material relief assistance and services
    Cross-cutting topics Crisis prevention
    Aid Type Project and programme contribution
    Project number

    7F11353

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Last update 31.07.2024