THE Myanmar Red Cross Society (MRCS) plans to expand some of its healthcare projects to additional townships in Mandalay and Ayeyarwady divisions, officials from the society said last month.

Dr Htay Win, the project officer of the society’s HIV/AIDS program, said work would be extended to three townships in Mandalay Division, including Aung-myetharzan, Maharaungmye and Pyigyidagun.

“We hope to expand to these areas by the end of 2007,” he said.

He said MRCS started its first HIV/AIDS project in Tha-ton, Mon State, in June 2005.

“We are now caring for 50 people with HIV in the Thaton area, providing them with food and medicine with help from the (Australia-based international non-government organisation) Burnet Institute,” he said.

He said the townships for the project are chosen in consultation with the National AIDS Program under the Ministry of Health.

Meanwhile, the society’s tuberculosis program will soon be expanded to six townships in Ayeyarwady Division, said Dr Khin Myo Myint, the MRCS’ TB project officer.

The six townships are Thabaung, Ye-gyi, Dedaye, Zalun, Kangyi Daunt and Pantanaw.

“Our TB projects started in Yangon in two townships in 2005, then three more townships in 2006 and then one more township in 2007,” Dr Khin Myo Myint said.

The Yangon townships already covered are Thaketa, Hlaing, Twante, Thingangyun, Mayangone and Dala.

He said the projects are conducted in cooperation with the National Tuberculosis Program under the Ministry of Health.

“The main activities are giving educational talks and encouraging patients to take their medicine regularly,” Dr Khin Myo Myint said.