MYANMAR’S authorities were by far the greatest providers of medical assistance to its population after Cyclone Nargis despite the widespread international criticism of a poor response, according to an analysis released on September 3.

A report summarised in the latest issue of the World Health Organisation’s Bulletin says government doctors, nurses and midwives were far more active in offering treatment and medicines to cyclone survivors than non-governmental organisations and individual volunteers.

The findings partially contradict perceptions based on the reluctance of the Myanmar authorities to reveal the extent of the crisis and its slowness in allowing foreign official and private charitable assistance to help with relief operations.

While there were widespread unmet medical needs after the cyclone in May, Richard Garfield from the WHO’s health and nutrition tracking service, who coordinated the study, said: “We discovered to our surprise because of such bad public relations that there was large-scale mobilisation by government around the country.”

Although the study was conducted on behalf of the Myanmar authorities, the UN and Asean, Mr Garfield insisted that the findings were objective.

The study, which covered nearly 3000 households most affected by Nargis in southwest Myanmar, also identified that among the survivors, diarrhoea and the common cold were by far the most widespread problems, rather than trauma, wounds and more serious infectious diseases such as cholera, as some experts had warned.

Of the 85,000 estimated killed and a further 54,000 missing after the cyclone last May, there were twice as many women who died as men. That confirms for the first time anecdotal evidence never previously quantified from other natural disasters, including the 2004 Asian tsunami which claimed more than 200,000 lives.

Mr Garfield said the reasons included the fact that many women in the region had never learned to swim, were killed while trying to save their children, or were too weak to hold on to trees and other objects to keep them safe over long periods until water levels dropped.

He said one set of lessons from Nargis should be the introduction of swimming lessons for women, and family evacuation training designed to encourage men to look after older children – which requires greater strength – while women should care for babies.

The study also found that the most effective assistance came from countries near Myanmar. “It was more culturally appropriate and got there in time,” he said. – Financial Times