Japan / Myanmar: Projects For Hospital Upgrade And Waste Management Improvement

Signing ceremony for two projects under the Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security Projects (GGP) took place at the Japanese Embassy in Yangon on Tuesday.

The two projects supported by the Japanese Government are for Maungtaw General Hospital upgrade and waste management improvement in Mandalay. Under the project “Upgrading Maungtaw General Hospital”, the Japanese Government will provide 476,840 USD.  

Ambassador, Embassy of Japan, H.E. Ichiro Maruyama said “Under the project, a new building will be built in Maungtaw General Hospital compound and medical equipments will be provided too within a year. Also, as the economic growth in Rakhine state is very slow, we are planning to promote the development of Rakhine state especially in health and education sectors.”

Currently, Maungtaw General Hospital does not have enough facilities for outpatients and uses a narrow space for inpatients. The hospital does not have ICU facility. Upon completion of the project, healthcare services will be provided to about 100,000 people. The new building construction in the Hospital compound is set to start in April. 

Medical Superintendent, Maungtaw General Hospital, Dr. Kyaw Mg Mg Thein said “The hospital upgrading project will bring benefits not only to the local people in Maungtaw Township but to the medical staff also. The project also includes provision of ICU facilities and a new OPD department.” 

At the same time, the Japanese Ambassador and Vice Mayor of Mandalay signed grants for the “Project for Improving Waste Management in Mandalay City”.

Ambassador, Embassy of Japan, H.E. Ichiro Maruyama said “Under the project, we will provide 3 garbage compactors worth 187,500 USD to Mandalay City Development. We’ll support to develop Mandalay city in cooperation MCDC.”

Although, Mandalay city is now under the way of solid waste management improvement, in line with the “Waste Management Strategy and Action Plan for Mandalay City (2017-2030)”, the amount of garbage is seriously increasing year by year.

Vice Mayor, Mandalay City Development Committee, Ye Mon said “About 1,000 tons of garbage is thrown per day in Mandalay. As the amount of garbage is increasing year by year and there are not enough garbage compactors, it causes insanitary environment and health problems. The garbage compactors will help the garbage collection service in Mandalay.”

The Japanese Government has assisted 932 grass-roots projects in Myanmar under the GSP scheme since 1993, including 493 education projects, 201 healthcare projects and 141 public welfare and environment projects. Japan has plans help Myanmar prevent COVID-19 disease, it’s learnt.