Myanmar

The partner of the SEALAB project in Myanmar is the National Health Laboratory (NHL). Within the Department of Medical Services, the NHL is the focal point for health laboratory services, providing oversight, management and supervision of the laboratory network for clinical and public health purposes, in line with the National Health Plan.

The health laboratories in Myanmar are arranged in a tiered organization with Type A, Type B and Type C laboratories at different levels of the health system:

• 80 Type A laboratories in 33 central hospitals, 7 teaching hospitals and 40 hospitals having from 200 to 500 beds.
• 44 Type B laboratories in hospitals having from 100 to 150 beds
• 961 Type C laboratories in township/station hospital with less than 50 beds
• Additionally, there are 102 campaign laboratories testing for TB, 42 testing for HIV/STI and 18 testing for malaria

The NHL is the main reference laboratory and the national laboratory for polio, measles and rubella, influenza, HIV and JE. It is also the TB reference laboratory.

Directory of laboratory platforms

To locate all laboratories in Myanmar and a list of the diagnostic services they provide, search by location, type of laboratory, and type of analysis.

• Laboratory mapping platform
• Laboratory data analysis platform

National Health Plan (NHP)

Between now and 2030, three National Health Plans aim to strengthen the country’s health system and pave the way for universal health coverage, with emphasis on the health of poor communities.

The strategic priorities of the National Strategic Plan for Health Laboratories (NSPHL) are to:

• Ensure effective coordination and management
• Strengthen human resources in the laboratories
• Strengthen biosafety and bio-risk management
• Improve the structure and organization of laboratory systems
• Develop a sustainable laboratory Quality Management System
• Improve Laboratory Information Management Systems
• Strengthen laboratory infrastructure
• Strengthen the laboratory regulatory framework
• Establish a Monitoring and Evaluation System

The NHL was created on 1 October 1963 when 5 laboratories were combined: the Pasteur Institute of Burma (set up in 1907), the Harcourt Butler Institute, the Chemical Examiner to the Government, the Public Analyst Laboratory, and the Rangoon Municipal Corporation Labs.