Ministry of Health and Sports discusses WHO funds

Union Minister for Health and Sports Dr. Myint Htwe led a meeting on 9 May to discuss better management of the World Health Organisation (WHO) funds for the public, along with officials from WHO Myanmar, directors-general, deputy directors-general, project managers and officials from different departments.

The meeting also discussed ways to receive increased WHO funding, in line with set rules and regulations. WHO supports health funds to Myanmar biennially, with the two most recent rounds of funding being once in the fiscal year 2016-2017 and once in the fiscal year 2018-2019. To be eligible for these health funds, Myanmar also has to contribute US$40,000 to WHO funds annually. At the meeting, the union minister requested the professionals working at WHO Myanmar to work harder in providing health assistance to Myanmar. He added that he would also discuss this with the director-general from the WHO headquarters and Director of WHO Southeast Asia Regional office. The union minister said the focal person from WHO’s financial department and their project managers will be in constant contact to review the rules and regulations set by the head of WHO’s financial department, which usually changes with a change in leadership.

The current rules and regulations set by WHO allows funds to be allotted in separate transactions, as opposed to delivering the entire amount of funding in one go. The first transaction is calculated on the country’s current project cost estimates. Once the first half of funding is spent or the projects are completed on time, WHO sends the second half of the total funds. The union minister urged the departmental project managers to provide the best service possible to the public, while finding ways to complete their projects on time or before the deadline, if possible. The union minister said if they are unable to utilise the allotted funds from WHO on time, the remaining funds will either be sent to other countries or reclaimed by WHO, adding that requesting for increased funding in the future might then be more difficult. The union minister asked WHO Myanmar officials and the departmental project managers to collaborate on acquiring private donations given by WHO on behalf of private donors. The union minister concluded his speech by requesting all the officials concerned to increase their performance in their relevant fields.

Next, WHO Myanmar Public Health Administrator Dr. Mohammad Shahjahan and National Professional Officer Dr. Myo Paing explained the current WHO financial rules and regulations, the available opportunities for increased funding, and further collaboration between WHO officials and departmental project managers. This was followed by an open discussion with the attendants.

Myanmar News Agency

Ref; The Global New Light of Myanmar