Sweden contributes additional funds in health for conflict-affected people in Myanmar
Sweden has contributed an additional SEK 25 million to the Access to Health Fund in Myanmar in view of the increased health needs following the military coup together with the economic turbulence and the covid-19 pandemic. The Swedish embassy’s branch office in Yangon has announced.
According to the statement, Sweden’s total contribution to Access to the health insurance fund with this supplement will amount to SEK 513 million during 2019-2023. This additional funding is to maintain essential health services, including Covid-19 Response and SRHR, and to meet the growing needs of the most vulnerable people in Myanmar.
While Sweden supports funding to prevent further loss of life due to lack of health services, Sweden is witnessing the ongoing specific targeted attack on healthcare professionals and facilities in Myanmar, according to the WHO report on 284 attacks, which is 36.5 percent of the total the number of globally reported cases in 2021, the statement said.
Such attacks deprive people of urgently needed care, endanger caregivers and undermine health systems. Sweden reiterates that attacks on health must be stopped immediately, and the right to health and international humanitarian law must be strictly observed by all relevant authorities, the statement concluded.