INCREASED understanding of the migration of human populations within Myanmar and across its borders will help boost cooperation among local and international organisations working in the areas of migration and HIV vulnerability, Ms Isabelle Bouan, the International Organisation for Migration’s chief of mission to Myanmar, said last month.

“Hopefully, we can create a network of organisations working in Myanmar and across its borders similar to networks in other countries,” said Ms Bouan.

She was speaking following an experience-sharing workshop in Yangon on September 26 and 27 that attracted representatives from the United Nations and other international non-governmental organisations, as well as from government bodies such as the Department of Health, that are working in the area of HIV prevention.

“It was important to have participants from organisations that work with migrants in Thailand, a major destination for migrants from Myanmar,” Ms Bouan said.

She said participants completed the first step of an agreement to study the migrant situation and its impact on local communities.

Representatives also discussed ways in which their respective organisations could support one another’s activities, she said.

“We need to identify which kinds of people in which areas should be educated about HIV vulnerability, and we need to set standards that enable different agencies to cooperate in conducting HIV prevention activities,” Ms Bouan said.

Migrants were at great risk of contracting HIV, in their home areas, during transit and at their destinations, she said, adding that it was difficult to determine the extent of HIV infection in mobile populations because of a lack of baseline data.

“We have already identified some of the areas where prospective migrants are living and where there are high populations of people who have been affected by HIV/AIDS,” she said.

“We work a lot with source communities to make sure they have the ability to provide HIV education to people who are planning to migrate or who are staying with partners who have migrated,” Ms Bouan said.

Meanwhile, a consortium of organisations working to control HIV/AIDS in Myanmar – including IOM, Save the Children, Pact Myanmar, Population Services International and Raksthai Foundation – are preparing to conduct a survey project in 10 towns in five states and divisions.

“Through the project, we are hoping to enhance community understanding of the link between migration and HIV vulnerability. Our assumption is that along the migration cycle – source, transit and destination – venerability is different,” Ms Bouan said.

“We are trying to find out where migrants are most vulnerable and where and how we should work to help them,” she said, adding that efforts to conduct these activities would be more effective if a wider range of local authorities became involved.

“We need greater involvement from the ministries of Labour, Immigration and Social Welfare, in addition to support from the ministries of Health and Home Affairs. HIV mobility is not just a health issue. It also involves education, immigration and labour,” she said.

A recent IOM report estimated that there were about 2.5 million migrants in Thailand.

The report said key challenges in addressing HIV vulnerability included lack of adequate information and prevention efforts, stigma and discrimination against HIV patients, and lack of access to care, support or treatment.