1 January
THE Union Minister for Health and Sports, Dr. Myint Htwe, attended a ceremony to distribute mobile tablets to health staff in Taninthayi Region at the Dawei Town Hall, Taninthayi Region, yesterday morning.
A total of 729 basic health staff and 38 township and station doctors from the Taninthayi Region attended the ceremony.
Speaking at the ceremony, Taninthayi Region’s Chief Minister, Dr. Lei Lei Maw, said travel in the region is difficult due to its geography and therefore, the distribution of mobile tablets will enable timely and complete transfer of regional data and information. Mobile tablets will help reduce the gap between urban and rural areas and put healthcare within reach of everyone, he said. The minister also asked people to cooperate and participate in raising the quality of people’s lives, including their health. Afterwards Union Minister Dr. Myint Htwe gave a speech.
He said the ministry has distributed over 9,400 mobile tablets in six regions and states, including Taninthayi, and is increasing the momentum of disseminating health-related information and knowledge.
“The distribution of mobile tablets to basic health staff will not only enable the spread of health-related information and data, but also allow the conduct of health surveys. Based on the information and data collected, necessary healthcare can be provided,” he said. “An electronic Health Management Information System (DHIS-2) is being implemented nationwide. Mobile tablets will allow the system to be extended to rural health centres.
In addition to helping monitor the inventory of medicines, the use of mobile tablets will also help track the expiry date of medicines to allow timely purchase and re-stocking of medicines and medical supplies,” he said. “The use of mobile tablets will allow for continuous medical education and development of medical expertise. Just like an umbilical cord providing an embryo, or fetus, with nutrients from the mother, mobile tablets will connect basic health staff, township, and station medical doctors with professors in medical universities,” the Union Minister said.
“Mobile tablets will be used to conduct health talks on the treatment and prevention of the high incidence of diabetes and hyper-tension. All are urged to help make Taninthayi Region a model in raising the level of people’s health, through this collaboration between the ministry and the Taninthayi Region’s government,” said the Union Minister.
After the speeches, mobile tablets were distributed to basic health staff and township and station doctors.
Thereafter, the Public Health Department’s Deputy Director-General, Daw Aye Aye Sein, explained the use of mobile tablets, while Shan State’s health ambassador, Ma Nan Hmwe Kham, and Yangon Region’s health ambassador, Dr. Soe Nyi Nyi Tun, showed health personnel how to operate the mobile tablets.
Later, the Taninthayi Region’s Head of Public Health and Medical Services, Dr. Tun Min, gave a vote of thanks and spoke about increasing healthcare works.
In the afternoon, the Union Minister visited the Dawei People’s Hospital and inspected the hospital’s out-patient department, the physiotherapy department, the X-Ray department, the laboratory, the blood bank, the treatment ward, the children’s ward, and the five-storey extension, built with the support of the Thailand International Cooperation Agency (TICA), and asked them about their requirements.
The Union Minister and officials then paid a visit to the Dawei Nurse Training School and met with Dawei People’s Hospital superintendent Dr. Aye Aung, specialists, doctors, nurses, health personnel, and officials from the ministry’s departments in the region.
At the meeting, the Union Minister spoke about 2018 being designated as the staff housing year. As of 15 December, a total of 6,100 apartment rooms for staff have been constructed and over 7,100 are under construction, he said.
The Union Minister also spoke about raising the health of the people through sports and the all-round development of the entire health system. He also asked the staff to regularly check the websites and social media sites of the departments in the ministry and have a sense of ownership on their work.
The Union Minister then coordinated on the difficulties and requirements submitted by the staff. Later in the evening, the Union Minister met with Taninthayi Region’s Chief Minister to discuss and coordinate on improving and increasing healthcare services and works in Taninthayi Region.
On Sunday, the Union Minister and officials inspected Ye Township People’s Hospital in Mon State and met with the staff and coordinated on their requirements.— MNA (Translated by Zaw Min)
