The Japanese prefecture of Hyogo, which was devastated by the
Hanshin-Awaji earthquake of 1995, has donated USD 200,000 to help
IOM rebuild health centres in Myanmar destroyed by Cyclone Nargis
in May 2008.

Hyogo residents began raising funds immediately after Nargis
struck the Irrawaddy Delta. The money they raised will allow IOM to
rebuild and fully equip two health centres in the worst-affected
region.  The agreement of the donation will be signed in Kobe,
Hyogo Prefecture 10 June by the Governor, Toshizo Ido and IOM Chief
of Mission in Japan, Akio Nakayama.

Cyclone Nargis and its accompanying storm surge flattened towns
and villages in the delta, affecting 2.4 million people and
damaging some 790,000 houses, 57 per cent of which were totally
destroyed. More than 140,000 people died.

"Nargis destroyed or damaged over 600 health facilities.
Temporary clinics are helping the population in the short term, but
people will still need health care after they close. A third of the
health centres destroyed by the cyclone still need to be rebuilt,"
says IOM Myanmar Chief of Mission Mariko Tomiyama.

The project will strengthen the capacity of Myanmar's public
health system to provide health care to inaccessible delta
communities through reconstruction of the centers, provision of
health services, capacity building of health staff and basic health
education activities. 

Other IOM post-Nargis health-related activities in Myanmar have
included the establishment of five temporary primary health care
clinics offering on-site and outreach services, referrals and
health education in remote locations, and a psychosocial support
project targeting cyclone survivors. The projects were funded by
the United Kingdom and the UN's Central Emergency Response Fund
(CERF.)

For more information please contact:

Lali Foster

IOM Yangon

Tel: + 95 1 25 25 60

E-mail: "mailto:lfoster@iom.int">lfoster@iom.int