Burmese Women. Photo credit: Google Images
By Peter Hotez, M.D., Ph.D.
Allied troops fighting in Burma during World War II brought home horror stories – and lifelong infections – of the tropical diseases endemic to Southeast Asia. More than 60 years later, Burma continues to be severely affected by malaria as well as some of the most devastating neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) found anywhere in the world. Following decades of harsh military rule, it is no coincidence that Burma is also one of the few remaining deeply impoverished countries in Southeast Asia, with a human development index on par with Haiti and many sub-Saharan African countries. Controlling and eliminating the country’s diseases of poverty hold the key to cultivating a healthier, and more empowered, citizenry in Burma.
As part of the United States’ overall effort to bridge the half-century political divide between our two nations, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s current’s visit to Burma is a great opportunity to prioritize extremely low cost medical treatments that will help Burma’s population overcome chronic parasitic infections and the barriers to prosperity that these diseases present.
Although access to the country is limited, based on recent health evaluations of refugees fleeing into Thailand we know that many people in Burma suffer severely from intestinal worm infections, elephantiasis, dengue, typhus and other NTDs. Girls and pregnant women are disproportionately affected. Reports last year from the Public Library of Science (PLoS) indicate that malaria and NTDs are the leading causes of fever in pregnant women on the Thai-Burmese border, while hookworm, found in half of the women who are pregnant, is a major cause of low birth-weight among newborns. » Read more: Nurturing the seeds of democracy in Burma
