Wednesday, August 29, 2012

UNFPA leader meets Burmese president

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Wednesday, 29 August 2012 14:19 Mizzima News
The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) director met with Burmese leaders on Monday to explore how the fund can support the development and reform process.

President Thein Sein and Dr. Babatunde Osotimehin at the Presidential Palace in Naypyitaw on Monday, August 27, 2012. Photo: President's office

President Thein Sein and Dr. Babatunde Osotimehin discussed the UNFPA’s reproductive health youth policy.

Dr. Osotimehin also met with Minister of Health Dr. Pe Thet Khin, opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi and other government figures and members of Parliament.

Osotimehin will meet on Tuesday with Lower House Shwe Mann and members of the recently formed Parliamentary Committee on Population and Social Development. On Wednesday, he will confer with Myanmar Medical Association leaders in Yangon.

Thein Sein thanked the UNFPA for its help during the country’s earlier census and stressed the importance of including all groups in the census.

Discussions about reproductive health focused on the need to improve maternal health care and make contraceptive methods more available, to reduce unintended pregnancies and abortions and to save women’s and children’s lives.

This will require the government to cooperate with UNFPA to increase professional training, revise service policies, address legal barriers and create more funding.

UNFPA is also developing programs to strengthen health related human resources and management, increase access to reproductive health, peer education and community awareness.

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