Until two thousand nine, just three international nongovernmental aid organizations had the required approvals to operate inside Burma. Yet more than one hundred were operating there. Many were able to get a memorandum of understanding that allowed them to work without an official registration.
But then came the recent political changes. Heads of aid organizations say lower-level officials are now unclear about their powers and responsibilities. In many cases they are enforcing the requirements more closely.
Save the Children is an aid organization whose work is mostly related to mother and child health in Burma. Kelland Stevenson with Save the Children says, in general, ministries and government workers have become much more cooperative. He agrees with those who say the barriers that humanitarian workers now face are largely bureaucratic.
KELLAND STEVENSON: "It shouldn’t be a political discussion. There remains a bit of command and control from government, and it's not going to open up overnight. And the discussion about getting access to new areas is under way. You have to remember these changes have been extraordinarily dramatic in such a short time. I mean, we're talking a year."
Kelland Stevenson says "things are changing so quickly." Still, aid groups warn that some issues -- such as the drug-resistant malaria -- may only get worse unless the government also takes action quickly.
And that's the VOA Special English Health Report. For more health news for people learning English, go to voaspecialenglish.com. I'm Jim Tedder.
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2013-11-25
2013-11-25
2013-11-25
2013-11-25
2013-11-25
2013-11-25