Myanmar (formerly Burma) is a resource-rich country that only recently has started to emerge from years of political and economic isolation. This lengthy isolation has had a serious impact on the people of the country, deepening poverty and limiting even basic health care, particularly in rural areas. Over 32% of the people live in poverty, making it the poorest country in Southeast Asia. Critical health issues:

• a very high risk of infectious diseases including hepatitis, typhoid fever, dengue fever, and dangerous forms of diarrhea. Malaria is particularly deadly.
• nearly one quarter of all of the country's deaths are children under 5 years old.

Our Work:

In spite of the challenges, AmeriCares has managed to deliver aid and support key health services, particularly in response to Cyclone Nargis in 2008.

In 2008, Cyclone Nargis tore through Myanmar, devastating the country's southern coastal regions. One of the worst cyclones in history, Nargis, first struck on May 2. It caused a massive tidal wave and floods that killed nearly 140,000 people. The Cyclone destroyed many villages in Myanmar's hard hit areas, including Yangon and the Irrawaddy Delta. Other communities suffered significant damage.

In the wake of the cyclone, AmeriCares was one of the first relief groups allowed into Myanmar, delivering its first emergency airlift of medical aid within days of the disaster. A second major airlift reached the country along with AmeriCares relief workers, among the first allowed in the country

Following the disaster, AmeriCares delivered more than $4 million in lifesaving medicines, medical supplies and humanitarian aid to support Myanmar's recovery.

Since 1995, AmeriCares has delivered significant ongoing medical assistance to Myanmar through the Medical Outreach Program. The program donates medical products to qualified U.S. health care professionals who are traveling overseas to provide charitable medical care. Thousands of patients have benefited. AmeriCares has sent a variety of products, ranging from antibiotics and high blood pressure medications to analgesics, vitamins and nutritional supplements.

Find out more about our Medical Outreach program