Strengthening the Community Health System to Combat Non-Communicable Diseases: Mapping the Health System in Southeastern Myanmar

Community Partners International (CPI) conducted 32 key informant interviews and a two-day workshop with patients, village health workers (VHWs), local organisation staff and leadership, and donors to try to understand the strengths and challenges of the healthcare system for those with hypertension or diabetes. This was done to inform the design of a VHW-based intervention to increase treatment for individuals with cardiovascular disease risk factors, to ultimately reduce the morbidity and mortality caused by strokes and heart attacks.

The goal of this phase is to collaboratively create a VHW intervention to support individuals with risks for heart attacks and strokes living in Karen State, Myanmar, utilising qualitative interviews and a causal loop analysis workshop. Causal loop analysis is utilized to represent complex systems, and to understand how interventions might affect the system.