Information Sheet N0.A-0628(I)

[OKKAR66129@xxxxxxx]

MYANMAR INFORMATION COMMITTEE
YANGON
Information Sheet

                       N0.A-0628(I)                                 28th
September 1998 	

(1)		(Continuation of  yesterday)			
		Attitude of Nationalities Peace Groups 	
		
		Today, a translation of the declaration of the Palaung State Liberation Army
(PSLA) of Northern Shan State Special Region -7  is stated as follows. The
declarations of other peace groups will also be made public.
		
         	Declaration on Attitude of PSLA Peace Group in connection with acts
of National League for Democracy
Date: 18 September 1998

Subject:	Attitude of PSLA on the matter of NLD's Convening of a Hluttaw

1.	PSLA does not support NLD's convening of a Hluttaw.
2.	The reason is that convening of Hluttaw means formation of a new
government.  There is only one government in a country.  Should there be two
governments, there would be confrontation between them in the country.  As it
was so in the past, unity of the nationalities split, and we ourselves had to
fight in the battles.
3.	We consider that NLD's trying to convene a Hluttaw may cause loss to the
nation.
4.	Hence, PSLA peace group never ever support the matter of NLD's convening of
Hluttaw.
												         
													
																
														Sd U Aik Mon 		
														   Chairman  				
PSLA Peace Group

(2)		WHO SEARO Presents Award for Primary Health Care Development to MMCWA

		The ceremony to hand over the Award for Primary Health Care (PHC)
Development presented by the WHO South East Asia Regional Organization (SEARO)
in commemoration of the WHO 50th Anniversary to Myanmar Maternal and Child
Welfare Association was held at the Multi-Purpose Building of MMCWA, Yangon on
27 September morning, with an address by Chairman of the National Health
Committee Secretary-1 of the State Peace and Development Council Lt-Gen Khin
Nyunt.  In his address, MMCWA deservingly received the Award for PHC
Development presented by WHO SEARO for its outstanding performance in catering
to primary health of mothers and children as well as the public, and noted
that this is a significant achievement of MMCWA and an honour for all mothers
in the country.  The fact that MMCWA received such a deserving honorary award
proves the brilliant capabilities of Myanmar women while MMCWA is undertaking
the noble tasks for uplift of health, fitness and education standards of
Myanmar women.  Generally, MMCWA's tasks include uplift of public health
standard, disease control and treatment, health-related educational and social
services, and improvement of livelihood of mothers.  The primary health care
projects cover 313 out of the 326 townships of the country with the
participation of 550,000 members - so much so that the international community
could not help recognizing its intensive and extensive activities.  MMCWA is
catering to health of over 200,000 expectant mothers at MCWA midwifery clinics
every year, nourishment for about 800,000 children,  active participation in
breast-feeding, birth-spacing, infectious disease and AIDS control projects at
the grassroots level. MMCWA is running 195 pre-primary schools which look
after 8,000 children, providing stipends for 50,000 children as a contribution
towards ?Education for All by the Year 2000?, and opening literacy courses in
71 townships for 15,000 people. Other activities such as programmes for women
of rural areas to earn their living by home businesses and assistance provided
to over 7,000 in 172 townships. 		
	
		Then, Minister for Health elaborated on how MMCWA won Award for Primary
Health Care Development presented by the WHO-SEARO in commemoration to the WHO
50th Anniversary. Papers on health development activities of MMCWA which met
the standard of primary health care development work set by WHO, were compiled
and sent to WHO-SEARO, New Delhi. The papers included facts about how MMCWA
emerged beginning 30 April 1991, health, education and social sectors, and
income generation and development sectors covering the whole nation. In the
health sector, altogether 200,000 pregnant women could be looked after in 55
delivery rooms opened by MMCWA, and the delivery rooms admit about 20,000
pregnant women every year, the courses of different levels on breast-feeding
were conducted. The birth-spacing programme of MMCWA is effective and
successful by 16 per cent throughout the country but up to 40% performance was
registered in the project townships of MMCWA, and birth-spacing multiplier
courses were conducted in 72 townships, and over 5,000 trainees attended the
courses.  MMCWA has effectively participated in National Immunization Days
activities and immunization programmes and AIDS prevention activities. Health
strategies of MMCWA include health education. It has also participated in the
activities for prevention of contagious diseases and non-contagious diseases
such as cancer, availability of pure water, sanitation, availability of
essential medicines and prevention of iodine deficiency diseases and giving
nutritious food. In nutritious food providing activities, about 800,000
children aged under five could be given nutritious food every year, and about
1633 tons of iodized salt could be distributed every year. 	Multiplier courses
on prevention of AIDS could be conducted, and about 65,000 trainees attended
the courses. In the education sector, MMCWA has taken part in carrying out the
task to enable all the school age children to attend the school in the year
2000, and it could provide necessary assistance for about 50,000 students from
185 townships. According to the adult education programme, skill-based
literacy activities for women and girls were carried out, which benefited over
15,000 trainees. In the social sector, 159 nursery schools could be opened
throughout the country with a view to enabling children who have not yet
attained the school age, to have physical and spiritual development, and
nearly 8,000 children could be cared for. In the income generation and
development sector, vocational training courses were conducted for the women,
and after completing the courses, they were provided with necessary assistance
and this programme could cover over 7,000 women. Moreover, MMCWA sponsored the
model villages project, and carried out health-based all  round development
work. The paper focuses on the facts that MMCWA, under the leadership of
National Health Committee, has participated in National Health Plan
(1996-2001) since the plan was being formulated, and that it has played an
active part in implementing the plan. That report including these facts were
sent to WHO-SEARO, New Dehli, and the award selection committee decided in
August 1998 that the performance of MMCWA was outstanding and worthy of award.
In the remark of the committee, it was stated that MMCWA was an organization
which took part actively in primary health care development activities, that
it could carry out health development work in parallel with socio-economic
development work, and that it could achieve success in striving to overcome
poverty and upgrade the standard of living. That award was presented to MMCWA,
because the award selection committee remarked that MMCWA was an outstanding
and distinguished ally of WHO in striving for the accomplishment of primary
health care development work. 

		Resident Representative of WHO Dr. Klaus Wagner elaborated on why WHO-SEARO
presented that award to MMCWA.  He said criteria for the selection of
deserving institutions and organizations were:  strong commitment to PHC
development; concern for equity, particularly for the disadvantaged and
underserved; commitment to broader health development as an integral component
of socio-economic development; replicability of the approach within the socio-
cultural environment of the country; and sustainability of the programmes. The
efforts of MMCWA met these criteria, and therefore, it was presented Award for
Primary Health Care Development.

(3)		Secretary-1 Receives Nationalities Leaders of Shan State (East) and
(South)

 	Chairman of Work Committee for Development of Border Areas and National
Races Secretary-1 of the State Peace and Development Council  received
nationalities leaders of Shan State (East) Special Region-4 U Kyi Myint and
leader of Shan State (South) Special Region -6 U Aung Kham Hti and members U
Khun Phinnya Budh and U Nay Win Tun at Defence Services Guest House on Inya
Road, on 27 September.  They discussed matters related to promotion of
education, hotels and tourism industry and smoothness of transport.

(4)		Myanmar Delegation Leaves for the Philippines 

	At the invitation of the Chairman of Congress of the Philippines Mr. Jose de
Venecia, Myanmar delegation led by Attorney-General, member of National
Convention Convening Commission  left Yangon by air on 27 September for the
Philippines to discuss legislative affairs there up to 3 October. 

(5)		UMCCI Officials Leave for Bangkok

		President and Vice-President of the Union of Myanmar Chamber of Commerce and
Industry,  and an Executive Officer left Yangon on 27 September morning to
attend Seminar on Enhancing Integration of New Members into the ASEAN Process
through Economic Cooperation and Trade Facilitation to be held in Bangkok from
28 to 29 September.													
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