Support Backpack Healthworker Teams in Burma

Project Report | Sep 21, 2024
2024 Increased Violence

By Jennifer Zurick | Executive Director

Names of villages have been abbreviated to protect the privacy and anonymity of those we help support.

Throughout 2024, the brutal impact of the Burma army’s and air force’s repression and attacks on the ethnic minorities and civil disobedience movement continued unabated.

Prior to the Burma army’s coup in February 2021, the UNHCR estimated 328,000 internally displaced persons in Burma.
As of June 2024, UNHCR estimates there are 3.1 million internally displaced persons – all due to the Burma army’s violence.

In Karen State (eastern Burma)

On June 14, 2024, soldiers fired mortars into K village – killing a 14 year old girl and toddler brother.
On June 25, 2024, soldiers shelled K village, destroying a home and barn, causing villagers to flee.
On June 28, 2024, near L village, soldiers used a drone to attack villagers on a road. Four died instantly and two other died later from their wounds.
On July 13, 2024, in M village, soldiers fired mortars into M Village, injuring a husband and wife.
On July 19, 2024, Burmese jets bombed D village, destroying a monastery and killing 14 villagers.
In M and S townships, officials reported almost daily artillery and air strikes from Jan – May 2024. 53 villagers were killed while 154 were injured.
In M township, Burmese soldiers occupied a village for a week, then planted landminds around the entry and exit points. A 14-year old boy lost both legs while another nine villagers were serious injured by these land mines.
On April 23rd, 2024, Burma soldiers randomly fired artillery into a village in T – causing 194 families to flee.
On April 24, 2024, in the village of Kn, Burma soldiers shot 2 villagers. Due to the random violence, many villagers have fled to IDP camps where the number of malaria cases has risen 70% compared to last year.
In May 2024, near K, a Burma soldier indiscriminately fired artillery at over two dozen villages – causing 10,000+ villagers to flee to IDP camps.
On May 1st, 2024, the Burma army fired artillery shells and launched airstrikes on a village near K, killing 20 villagers and injuring 30 more.

In Northern Shan/Southern Kachin State)

On June 25th, Burma army unleashed a barrage of artillery and air strikes on W village, forcing hundreds to flee and destroying or damaging over 300 homes.
On July 3rd, Burma army fired artillery at a village near L, killing a woman and 5 of her family members, including 3 children.
On July 18th, Burma fighter jets bombed a bazaar (shopping center) in H, killing 20 villagers and injuring dozens more.
On August 5th, Burma fighter jets bombed the M market, killing 6 and injuring 12 villagers.
On Sep 9th, Burma fighter jets bombed the city of L, killing 3 people and injuring 20 more.
On July 10th in L, a village woman died when a Burma army missile hit her as she walked from her home. 5 village homes were also destroyed in the attack.
On Sep 2nd 2024, Burma air force conducted 6 airstrikes on N village, killing 11 people and injuring 25.
On Sep 6th 2024, airstrikes killed 11 villagers – including a pregnant woman and children in M village. 12 villagers were injured.
On Sept 6^th, 2024, Burma airstrikes killed 11 villagers and injured 11 more in the village of N. This was an indiscriminate slaughter of civilians.
On Sept 12, 2024, Burma air attacks hit the village of N, killing 5 villagers and injuring another 8.
On Sept 1415, 2024 Burma aircraft bombed N in northern Shaw State, injuring 1 women when her home was hit.

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May 14, 2024
Medicine Supply List

By Jennifer Zurick | Executive Director

This lists the medicines and supplies carried by a typical Backpack Health Worker Team

ITEM & DESCRIPTIONUnitQuantity

Aluminium Hydroxide 500 mgTab 1,000

Albendazole 200 mgTab 300

Amoxicillin 250 mgCap 1,000

Atenolol 50mgTab 500

B1 100 mgTab 1,000

B1 10 mgTab 1,000

Ciprofloxacin 250 mgTab 1,000

Cloxacillin 250 mgCap 1,000

Doxycycline 100 mgCap 1,000

Diazepam 5 mgTab 500

Erthomycine 250 mgTab 500

Enalapril 1 tab/doseTab 300

Folic Acid 5 mgTab 1,000

Folic C (FBC)1000tab/botTab 1,000

Hydrochlorothiazide 1tab/does 50mgTab 500

Hyoscine/Buscopan BacotanTab 1,000

Ibuprofen 200mgTab 1,000

Metoclopramide 10 mgTab 500

Muti VitamineTab 1,000

Metronidazole 200 mgTab 1,000

Omeprazone 20mgCap 200

ORSSacth 300

Paracetamol 500 mgTab 2,000

Penicilllin - V 250mgTab 1,000

Prednisolone 5 mgTab 200

Salbutamol 100 mgTab 500

Vitamin C 100 mgTab 1,000

Vitamin A (25000 IU)Tab 1,000

Zinc 15 mg /20mgTab 200

Cetirizine Hydrochloride 10mgTab 500

Bronhexine 8 mg Tab 1,000

Dexamethasone 2mgTab 250

Diclofenac 50mg VoltaTab 1,000

Ferrous Sulphate 200mgTab 1,000

Magnesium Hydroxide 100mgTab 1,000

Mefenamic AcidTab 500

Metformin 500 mgTab 500

Nystatin Gynecon200000 IUTab 200

Amoxicillin SyrupBot 50

Brohyxine 4mg/5ml,60ml,SyrupBot 50

Parecetamol SyrupBot 50

Adrenaline(Epinephrine) 1mg/mlAmp 10

Ampicillin 1 gVial 50

B1 100 mgInj 10

Ceftriaxone Vial/IVVial 50

Chlorpheniramine 1 ccAmp 10

Diazepam 5 mgAmp 10

Dexamethasone 1 mlAmp 10

D5W(with infusion set) 500 ml with setBot 30

Gentamycin 2 ml 80 mgAmp 20

Glucose 20 ml. 50%Amp 20

Hyoscine/Buscopan 20mg/1mlAmp 10

Ringer Lactic 500ml(with influid set)Bot 20

Lasix 1 ml Fluisemide InjAmp 10

Tramadol 2 mlAmp 20

Sodium chloride 0.9% (NSS),500ml,with IV setBot 20

T.E.O TubeTub 30

Calamime lotion 60mlBot 24

Whitfield's oinment 15mgTub 15

Cotri moxazone Creem 5gTub 24

Xylocain 2% 50 ml (without adrenaline)

LidocainVial 5

Alcohol 450 mlBot 3

Butterfly needle 24 G Scailp VeinPice 30

Benzoil Benzyl Emulsinon 30 mlBot 20

Canulla 24 gPice 20

Canulla 22 gPice 20

Canulla 18gPice 8

Cotton wool roll 200gmsRoll 2

Chlorine powderKg 1

Disposable Needle 22 GPice 150

Disposable Needle 23 GPice 150

Disposable Needle 24 GPice 150

Disposable Syringe 20 mlPice 20

Disposable Syringe 10 mlPice 50

Disposable Syringe 5 mlPice 150

Disposable Syringe 3 mlPice 150

Elastic bandage 4" x 5 y rollRoll 12

Examination glove Medium sizeBox 3

Gauze 9" x 100 ydsRoll 4

HCG testPice 50

Mask 50 pcs/BoxBox 2

Plaster 1/2" x 5 yds (cotton type)Pice 20

Clear Plastic Zip lock Bag size 6x8 100/pcsPice 4

Povidone 450 mlBot 2

Plastic Bags (Color Black) 18" x 20"Pice 32

Blood Presure (China)Pice 1

Suture Nylo No 3/0 with NeedlePice 24

Suture Silk No 3/0 with Needle(24set/box)Box 24

Sterile Water 5 ml Amp 50

Sterile glove No.7 (50 pairs)Pair 5

ThemometerPice 2

Sphygmomanometer baby BP CUFF (China) +CHILD CUFFPice 1

Stethoscope CHINAPice 1

Urine Catheter(Adult) 16 FPice 2

Urine Catheter(Baby) 14 FPice 2

Salbutamol InhalerPice 2

Vitamin K1 Inj: 1mg/vialVial 10

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Jan 15, 2024
Malaria and Infant Mortality Quantitative Report

By Jennifer Zurick | Executive Director

BHM’s Program Outcome evaluation allows us to assess the enduring value of the Backpack Medics we support.

By assessing outcomes, we gain an appreciation of the impact – lives improved and lives potentially saved.

For instance, reducing morbidity (illness) rates translates to both improved lives and fewer deaths. If you do not get sick with malaria, you cannot die from malaria.

Baseline numbers reflect historical averages for morbidity and mortality as international health organizations have documented for areas without access to medical care or backpack medics.

Malaria

Malaria has historically been a painful and often lethal illness for Burma’s ethnic minorities.

When the Backpack Medics began operations in the late 1990s, they lacked malaria test kits available in developed countries. In 2005, they began using Para Check rapid diagnosis test kits to confirm Plasmodium Falciparum (Pf) malaria. Since 2014, Backpack Medics gained access to SD Bioline test kits – which can discern both Pf and Plasmodium Vivax (Pv) malaria.

However, throughout their existence, Backpack medics have not had sufficient test kits to meet the demand.

Nonetheless, Backpack Medics have had success in decreasing the number of malaria cases. The percent of the population the Backpack Medics serve have seen a steady decline in cases:

2002 -- 13%
2008 -- 7.9%
2013 -- 2.3%
2023 -- 0.8% (as of mid-year)

Given the historical malaria morbidity rate (13%), the 120,327 villagers supported by BHM could have had 15,642 people suffer from malaria.

In the first half of 2023, medics treated 480 malaria patients – 15,162 fewer people than expected!

The World Health Organization identified that 100% of Malaria Pf patients die without medicine and 20% who receive medical care do not survive. Backpack Medics treated 193 Pf patients – with no deaths reported. The Backpack Medics follow the WHO’s anti-malarial protocol for Artemisinin based Combination Therapy.

Infant Mortality Rate (IMR)

Given the historical IMR, one could expect 54 of the 4.3 newborns not to survive. In the first half of 2023, we are very fortunate with 0 infant deaths among our medic teams.
The loss of any newborn remains a tragedy we are committed to eliminating.

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