Thailand-Myanmar Border Health – 1st Stakeholder Consultancy Meeting
Current Projects
- A Study on Demand, Feasibility, and Development Approaches for Expanded Program on Immunization (EPI) Vaccine Management and Financing Systems for Non-Thai Children in the Thai-Myanmar Border Region
- Health Humanitarian Assistance and Health Security along Thai-Myanmar Border: Landscaping healthcare needs and stakeholder perception towards national border health policy development
Past Projects and Activities
- Thailand-Myanmar Border Health – 1st Stakeholder Consultancy Meeting
- Strengthening Humanitarian and Public Health Collaboration: NHF and IAS Engage with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
- Thailand-Myanmar Border Health – 2nd Stakeholder Consultancy Meeting
- Asia-Pacific Health Security Roundtable Series on Health System Impact of Pandemics
- Thailand-Myanmar Border Health – 3rd Higher level Stakeholder Consultancy Meeting
- Briefing and Discussion on the Public Health Situation Along the Thai-Myanmar Border by the National Health Foundation and the Center for Sustainable Humanitarian Action with Displaced Ethnic Communities (SHADE)
- 4th International Conference on Burma/Myanmar Studies (ICBMS IV) Assemblages of the Future: Rethinking Communities after the State
On 7 March 2024, NHF hosted the 1st Stakeholder Consultancy Meeting on Thailand-Myanmar Border Health to address the pressing healthcare challenges arising from increased migration following Myanmar’s 2021 military coup. The virtual meeting gathered experts from hospitals, academic institutions, and health organizations to discuss strategies for improving border health initiatives in Thailand.
Discussions focused on four major issues: patient care, which faces rising demand due to infectious diseases and chronic conditions; financing, particularly the lack of health insurance for undocumented individuals; healthcare workforce shortages in border areas; and information systems, which struggle with data sharing and storage.
Key recommendations included vaccination campaigns for both Thai and Myanmar populations along Thailand-Myanmar border, expanded health insurance coverage for stateless individuals, recruitment of Myanmar healthcare volunteers, and the creation of a coordinating unit to facilitate cross-sector collaboration. Stakeholders committed to ongoing cooperation, with plans to engage institutions such as the Thai Chamber of Commerce, the National Security Council, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. NHF emphasized its commitment to leading these efforts and strengthening partnerships to address border health challenges effectively.