What is MCHP?
We are MCHP, the Myanmar Children Health Project, a nonprofit organization based in Yangon, Myanmar. We are one of the many student-led service-learning groups of the International School Yangon. We are committed to maintaining the overall health of children around Myanmar. We are currently vaccinating children in the Yangon division for the prevention of Hepatitis B.
What do we do?
Every month, we host three vaccination events at a designated area. In the first event, certified doctors from Myanmar Pharmaceutical Industries for Hepatitis B come to test the children for Hepatitis B and provide vaccinations against Hepatitis B. In the second event, which is a month later, the children get vaccinated again. The third event is the same but occurs six months after the first event. During the events, MCHP members comfort crying children and socialize with them. In addition to that, MCHP members educate the community about essential health information such as sanitation and nutrition. The task of vaccinating the children is done by certified doctors – not MCHP members.
Why hepatitis B?
Hepatitis B (HBV) is a viral infection that can cause cirrhosis (scarring of the liver) and liver cancer. It can be easily transmitted through infected blood products such as needles, razors, and unscreened blood transfusions. Since it is a virus, HBV cannot be treated with antibiotics and infected patients are left with only their immunse system to defend against the it. However, how long the virus lasts depends on the age at which a person is infected. Adults that get HBV usually have a developed immune system that is able to fight off the virus within a few months. However, children that get the virus usually don’t have an immune system capable of fighting it off, and as a result the virus will survive in those who contract the disease at a young age. The only way to prevent children from contracting the disease is by vaccinating them. According to the Ministry of Health and Sports in Myanmar, “From the survey done among the general population in 2015 in Myanmar, the prevalence of hepatitis B was 6.5%.” Due to the fact that HBV is already a pretty widespread disease in Myanmar (6.5% of the general population amounts to about 3.5 million people infected) as well as the lack of government action in trying to mitigate the spread of the virus, we have taken it upon ourselves to vaccinate children for the prevention of HBV in remote places of Myanmar.
Our current goal
To vaccinate 1,800 children for Hepatitis B by 2023.
- Percentage of goal achieved 83.3333333333333333333333333333333333%