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Thailand - Burma Border
2008 Loi Kaw Wan Medical Centre
At the northern tip of Thailand, near the infamous “Golden Triangle”, just across the road-border into Shan State, Burma, is the relatively new village of Loi Kaw Wan.
This village began in 2000. Ethnic Shan people who were displaced from their homes and villages by the atrocities of the ruling Burmese military, gravitated towards this area, free of any Burmese military, high in the mountains and easily able to quickly flee into Thailand should they be attacked by the Burmese army.
MMC has been involved here since 2001, mainly in training many young people to become medics who could provide basic medical assistance to their people when no foreign assistance is present. MMC teams have yearly provided increasing medical supplies, pharmaceuticals, clothes and moral and social support.
The medical centre in LKW went through 3 stages of bamboo structure. MMC then began to work with the leaders of the stable medical centre and financed a solid, permanent structure of concrete, wood, metal roof, and glass windows. This building now holds a large obstetrical delivery area, outpatient, surgery, dental, and pharmacy, storage rooms, inside and outside patient waiting areas plus indoor washing areas. MMC funds have made this possible. Expansion of this medical centre this year with MMC funds is being carried out to provide a separate, more private and secure inpatient area for female patients.
This village began in 2000. Ethnic Shan people who were displaced from their homes and villages by the atrocities of the ruling Burmese military, gravitated towards this area, free of any Burmese military, high in the mountains and easily able to quickly flee into Thailand should they be attacked by the Burmese army.
MMC has been involved here since 2001, mainly in training many young people to become medics who could provide basic medical assistance to their people when no foreign assistance is present. MMC teams have yearly provided increasing medical supplies, pharmaceuticals, clothes and moral and social support.
The medical centre in LKW went through 3 stages of bamboo structure. MMC then began to work with the leaders of the stable medical centre and financed a solid, permanent structure of concrete, wood, metal roof, and glass windows. This building now holds a large obstetrical delivery area, outpatient, surgery, dental, and pharmacy, storage rooms, inside and outside patient waiting areas plus indoor washing areas. MMC funds have made this possible. Expansion of this medical centre this year with MMC funds is being carried out to provide a separate, more private and secure inpatient area for female patients.
In 2004, numerous poor families living in bamboo houses were caring for 63 orphans in Loi Kaw Wan. Over the subsequent years, funds were raised for separate facilities for these orphans. Now this year, 2009, the MMC team saw a new, large concrete and wood building, metal roof, proper doors and windows, indoor washing and toilet area, good lighting (solar powered) and proper bunk beds with bedding for the now 50 boy orphans. The girl orphans, 43 of them, now are able to live separately in the 2 previously built smaller dormitories.
2009 Boys' Dormitory at LKW
The number of orphans in the dormitories at LKW would have been over 110 this year but there were only 93. This is because 17 of the older orphans, in their mid and late teen years, decided that they would like to study to become medics. They joined the LKW Medical Centre, live in the dormitories there and began their studies about 1 year ago. When the MMC team was there for 2 weeks in February, we spent much time with these new students teaching and socializing with them. We felt very proud and happy that MMC had helped to provide them with a home where they could feel safe, secure and comfortable in spite of not having any parents to give them TLC. This enabled them to grow and mature and decide on their own to further their education in a way that they could help their own people in return.
We all lived together in a bamboo house on stilts.
The number of orphans in the dormitories at LKW would have been over 110 this year but there were only 93. This is because 17 of the older orphans, in their mid and late teen years, decided that they would like to study to become medics. They joined the LKW Medical Centre, live in the dormitories there and began their studies about 1 year ago. When the MMC team was there for 2 weeks in February, we spent much time with these new students teaching and socializing with them. We felt very proud and happy that MMC had helped to provide them with a home where they could feel safe, secure and comfortable in spite of not having any parents to give them TLC. This enabled them to grow and mature and decide on their own to further their education in a way that they could help their own people in return.
Mae La Oo camp on Thai-Burma border refugee
This year was the first time an MMC team was able to visit Mae La Oo refugee camp. This camp holds over 16,000 Burmese refugees, is situated in a very remote area, deep in the jungle near the Thailand-Burma border. Entrance into it, by foreigners, is controlled by the Thailand Army. Seven of us received permission to travel to, and stay in the camp for 4 days. This was a wonderful, enlightening, emotional experience for all of us, very rare for foreigners to have.
We taught senior medics, trained a group of young men in bee keeping, visited the ABSDF Yaung Ni Oo school of 300 children in bamboo classrooms, and provided some supplies, clothes and funds to help them continue after we left.
ABSDF's Young Ni Oo School for refugee children
Mae Tao Clinic
MMC continues to fully support the Blood Services Program at Dr. Cynthia’s Mae Tao Clinic. MMC annually reviews the budget, operation and expenditures when we are there every February. This is done with Shine, the head medic in charge of the Blood Services Program, a marvelous young lady who, along with her husband, Saw Nay Htoo, are dedicated to helping their fellow oppressed people.
Dr. Myron's 2011 South East Asia Report
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