Dr Maria Nenette Motus speaks at Yangon’s Parkroyal Hotel on July 18. Pic: Aye Zaw Myo

THE International Organisation for Migration has launched an educational program in Myanmar to raise awareness about HIV/AIDS among internal and cross-border migrants.

The program, launched at Yangon’s Parkroyal Hotel on July 18, is part of a project involving five countries in the Greater Mekong Sub-region. Apart from Myanmar, they are Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam.

The program includes a comprehensive package of information, education, communication (IEC) materials, including an 80-minute animated DVD called For Life, With Love and a life-skills activities manual.

The DVD aims to raise awareness of HIV vulnerability among mobile populations, migrant workers and communities affected by mobility in the five countries, said a pamphlet produced by the IOM.

The DVD promotes the message that workers can enjoy safe, happy lives in a new environment if they are careful to avoid behaviour that could leave them at risk of contracting HIV.

Topics included in the life-skills manual include the prevention of HIV and sexually transmitted infections, addictive drugs and HIV, living with HIV-infected people and interpersonal relationships.

It also includes guidelines for facilitators to use the IEC materials and provide training.

All IEC materials in the package are in English and have been translated into the languages used in the five countries.

The IOM’s Bangkok-based regional migration health manager, Dr Maria Nenette Motus, said ease of travel and big infrastructure projects such as highways and dams connect the people of the region but also make migration faster and easier.

“Migrants also face many challenges in the new places,” she said, adding that they were more likely to take risks while living away from spouses or partners.
Dr Motus said many migrants lack basic knowledge about HIV prevention and also have limited or no access to healthcare services. Many of them indulged in risk-taking behaviour without considering themselves at risk, she said.

“This is one of the reasons why IOM arranged the IEC materials package targeting the migrant population,” she said.

The head of IOM’s Myanmar office, Ms Isabelle Bouan, said the organisation will use the IEC package in its community-based health project covering in six townships in Mon State.

“Our social workers will use them working with the communities,” she said.