Exploratory Trip to Yangon and Naypyidaw, Myanmar

A four-person team led by CCOUC Director Professor Emily Chan conducted an exploratory trip to Yangon and Naypyidaw, Myanmar from 26 to 30 August 2017. The team met the representatives of local government units, an academic institution and an international NGO to explore the possibility of developing public health and disaster preparedness programmes in the country.

In Yangon, the team visited the University of Public Health, Yangon and met with Professor Dr. Khay Mar Mya, Rector of the University and other faculty members for discussing potential knowledge transfer collaboration. A public health training session was conducted in the University, with two lectures on “The Burden of Obesity” and “Climate Change and Health” delivered by Dr. Tony Yung, Senior Lecturer, and Mr. Sida Liu, Assistant Lecturer, of CCOUC respectively. More than 30 faculty members of the university actively participated in the lectures, and had shared with the two speakers the public health challenges encountered in the country.

The team also visited an international NGO, HelpAge International, Yangon and the two teams discussed elderly health programmes and future training opportunities.

In Naypyidaw, the team had meetings with Directors of Ministry of Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement and Deputy Director of Disaster and Public Health Emergency Division, Department of Public Health, Ministry of Health and Sports. The parties exchanged ideas on the collaboration of capacity building activities and training including exchange and fellowship programmes.