Twin health and education crises in Myanmar and the role of the international community

The current health and education situation in Myanmar presents significant challenges that require urgent attention from the international community. This has been further exacerbated by the consequences of the Myanmar military's attempted coup on 1 Feb 2021, which disrupted the healthcare and education sectors. Almost 90 healthcare workers have lost their lives in military and police raids and other junta-associated violence since the attempted coup. There are currently 1.6 million internally displaced people across Myanmar, 17.6 million people in need, and 70,000 civilian properties including schools and hospitals have been burnt or destroyed by the junta since February 2021.

Amidst these challenges, the international community has a crucial role in making positive strides toward bettering Myanmar's health and education situation by providing essential medical supplies, setting up medical clinics and mobile hospitals, and offering training to healthcare workers. In the education sector, international organizations can work with the NUG to reopen closed schools in liberated areas, establish temporary learning centres for displaced populations, and promote inclusive education for children with diverse needs.

In this lecture, Dr Zaw Wai Soe will outline the complexities of Myanmar's health and education situation, and offer reasons that it requires sustained commitment, collaboration, and support from the global community. He will discuss how, by working together, domestic and international actors can help alleviate the challenges faced by the people of Myanmar and open the way for a brighter and more promising future.

About the speaker

H.E. Dr Zaw Wai Soe is an orthopedic surgeon and professor who since April 2021 has served as the Union Minister for the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Education appointed by the National Unity Government of Myanmar.

He is the founder of the Spine Surgery and Emergency Medicine in Myanmar. He is the former Rector of the University of Medicine 1 and served as the chairman of the Myanmar Rector's Committee till February 2021. He played a leading role in Myanmar's COVID-19 fight as the vice chair of COVID-19 Contain, Control and Treating Coordination Committee.

This is an in-person only event, light refreshments at 5pm, lecture at 5.30pm.

Registration is essential.

This event is presented by the ANU Myanmar Research Centre and the ANU College of Health & Medicine