Cynthia Maung
Encyclopedia
Dr. Cynthia Maung is a Burmese
medical doctor who since 1989 has lived in Mae Sot
, on the Thai-Burmese border. An ethnic Karen
, Dr. Maung left Burma
(Myanmar) after the 8888 Uprising
and has since run a clinic treating Burmese refugees, migrants and orphans at Mae Tao Clinic
in Mae Sot on the Thai-Burmese border, together with 100 paramedics and teachers.
Maung received Southeast Asia’s Ramon Magsaysay Award
for community leadership and she was listed as one of 2003 Time Magazine’s Asian Heroes. Altogether she has received six international awards for her work. In 1999, she was the first recipient of the Jonathan Mann Award, sponsored by US and Swiss health organizations.
In 1977, the Burmese government began to make changes to the educational system which affected universities and colleges, and there were more disruptions to the school year. Maung finished high school this year but had to wait for 10 months before being able to enter the regional college where she was required to spend two years before entering medical school. A further 10 months between the regional college and medical school [15] meant that it was 1980 before she was able to commence her medical studies.
From there she went to work in a private clinic in Bassein
in the delta area of Burma. It was during this time that the Burmese government decided to change the monetary system. Some of the currency became invalid and many people lost their life savings. This caused suffering for many people and especially for students and the poor. Some schools closed down and the student movement became stronger. Maung's mother got sick at this time and so she moved back to Moulmein to help care for her and to be close to her family. In 1987, Maung started working in a clinic in Eindu Village in Karen State. The village, which was on the main transit route between Hpa-An
and Myawaddy
was made up of three main ethnic groups: the Pa-O
who earned their living mainly by weaving, the Mon
who ran the small shops and businesses, and the Karen who made a small living from farming and agriculture. Living for all of these people was difficult and they all struggled to survive on a daily basis. Maung realized how poor the people were, how little they had and watched as they were forced into working for the military as soldiers and porters. Many village children were not able to attend school and from necessity helped the military in order to make a small amount of money so that they could survive. Taxation was high and diseases such as Tuberculosis widespread. The village had one small hospital but during her stay there was a doctor present for only 2–3 months and there were no medicine or supplies with which to treat the people.
During 1988 the pro-democracy movement and demonstrations increased. Maung joined up with other villagers and high school and university students who had returned to the village. They tried to work together with similar groups from other parts of the country to bring about positive change in Burma. There was a lot of tension, and parents were worried about their children and their safety. Communication and transportation avenues were cut off and the price of rice and commodities went higher and higher. There was confusion and fear among the people. On September 19, 1988 the military seized power, many activists disappeared, fled the country, or were forced to go into hiding. Many thousands of people moved quickly to the Thai–Burma border. On September 21, Dr. Cynthia and fourteen of her colleagues decided it was time for them to go also. With few provisions or personal belongings, they fled through the jungle for seven days. They traveled mainly at night and as they passed through remote villages (where the people had never seen health workers or had access to a hospital) they tried to treat the local people suffering from disease and injury with the limited supplies that they carried.
, opposite Be Claw refugee camp in Tha Song Yars district. Here Maung worked at a small hospital treating those fleeing the fighting. There was a lot of confusion as thousands of people tried to find their friends and families. There were many people with many different political ideas, and illnesses such as malaria were rife. Later, Maung moved to Hway Ka Loke refugee camp and it was while she was here that she made contact with Karen leaders responsible for student affairs and with local Thai authorities and church groups who were sympathetic to the plight of these people. Together, they tried to set up some systems to lessen the confusion and to bring a little order to the situation in the area. In November 1988, Maung moved to Mae Sot. She wanted to set up a center for students needing somewhere to stay or requiring referral for further medical care. Mae Sot had a hospital where this could be done and from this time the Clinic began to develop a referral system with the local hospital which continues today. In February 1989, she was offered a dilapidated building with bare dirt floors on the outskirts of Mae Sot. Here, Dr. Cynthia went to work. Her makeshift clinic had few supplies and less money. She improvised by sterilizing her few precious instruments in a rice cooker and solicited medicine and food from Catholic relief workers working in the area. She and her companions lived simply and worked hard to treat the increasing number of patients coming to the clinic with malaria
, respiratory disease
and diarrhea
as well as gunshot wounds and land mine
injuries. Malaria cases are still one of the most common diseases treated by the Mae Tao Clinic. As the years have passed, the type of patient attending the clinic has also changed. In the beginning, it was mainly students and young people escaping the fighting. Gradually, migrant workers began to come to the area in an effort to find work and money for their families at home. As more time passed, their wives and families joined them. Today, there are also many children and adolescents who are dropping out of school and need a place of safety. As the population changes, so do the medical needs of those that the Clinic serves. Today, one of the highest patient loads is in Reproductive Health and associated areas. Each year, over 2,700 babies are delivered at the Clinic. The Clinic’s facilities and activities continue to grow. Currently, between 400 - 500 people on average come to the clinic each day, and there is a staff of about 700 providing comprehensive health services and child protection services. Total caseload exceeds 115,000 cases annually with a client number of over 75,000 per year.
*Mae Tao Clinic Website
Bamar
The Bamar are the dominant ethnic group of Burma , constituting approximately two-thirds of the population. The Bamar live primarily in the Irrawaddy basin, and speak the Burmese language, which is also the official language of Burma. Bamar customs and identity are closely intertwined with general...
medical doctor who since 1989 has lived in Mae Sot
Mae Sot
- External links :* * : an audio documentary.* *...
, on the Thai-Burmese border. An ethnic Karen
Karen people
The Karen or Kayin people , are a Sino-Tibetan language speaking ethnic group which resides primarily in southern and southeastern Burma . The Karen make up approximately 7 percent of the total Burmese population of approximately 50 million people...
, Dr. Maung left Burma
Myanmar
Burma , officially the Republic of the Union of Myanmar , is a country in Southeast Asia. Burma is bordered by China on the northeast, Laos on the east, Thailand on the southeast, Bangladesh on the west, India on the northwest, the Bay of Bengal to the southwest, and the Andaman Sea on the south....
(Myanmar) after the 8888 Uprising
8888 Uprising
The 8888 Nationwide Popular Pro-Democracy Protests was a series of marches, demonstrations, protests, and riots in the Socialist Republic of the Union of Burma...
and has since run a clinic treating Burmese refugees, migrants and orphans at Mae Tao Clinic
Mae Tao Clinic
The Mae Tao Clinic , also known as Dr. Cynthia’s clinic after its founder Dr. Cynthia Maung, is a community hospital which has provided good quality healthcare to the Burmese refugee population in Western Thailand since 1989...
in Mae Sot on the Thai-Burmese border, together with 100 paramedics and teachers.
Maung received Southeast Asia’s Ramon Magsaysay Award
Ramon Magsaysay Award
The Ramon Magsaysay Award is an annual award established to perpetuate former Philippine President Ramon Magsaysay's example of integrity in government, courageous service to the people, and pragmatic idealism within a democratic society. The Ramon Magsaysay Award is often considered Asia's Nobel...
for community leadership and she was listed as one of 2003 Time Magazine’s Asian Heroes. Altogether she has received six international awards for her work. In 1999, she was the first recipient of the Jonathan Mann Award, sponsored by US and Swiss health organizations.
Early life and Education
Cynthia Maung was born into an ethnic Karen family in Rangoon in 1959 and grew up in Moulmein with her parents and 6 siblings. Cynthia attended State High School No. 4 and it was during this period that political upheaval and the student movement began to cause disruptions to the education system in Burma. Maung found that many of her friends were dropping out of school, as they needed to work in order to make a little money to assist their family.In 1977, the Burmese government began to make changes to the educational system which affected universities and colleges, and there were more disruptions to the school year. Maung finished high school this year but had to wait for 10 months before being able to enter the regional college where she was required to spend two years before entering medical school. A further 10 months between the regional college and medical school [15] meant that it was 1980 before she was able to commence her medical studies.
Activities before establishing Mae Tao Clinic
After medical school, Maung undertook a one-year internship at the Mawlamyaing General Hospital. It was during this time that Maung began to realize how poor some people were and how much they had to sacrifice in order to get medical care. Many people sold their homes, property and land or animals so that a family member could receive medical assistance. But still they had to purchase their own supplies such as soap, blades and dressings if they required surgery. Equipment was old and often broken, and things such as syringes were used again and again.From there she went to work in a private clinic in Bassein
Pathein
Pathein , also called Bassein, is a port city with a 2004 population estimated at 215,600, and the capital of the Ayeyarwady Region, Burma. It lies on the Pathein River , which is a western branch of the Irrawaddy River....
in the delta area of Burma. It was during this time that the Burmese government decided to change the monetary system. Some of the currency became invalid and many people lost their life savings. This caused suffering for many people and especially for students and the poor. Some schools closed down and the student movement became stronger. Maung's mother got sick at this time and so she moved back to Moulmein to help care for her and to be close to her family. In 1987, Maung started working in a clinic in Eindu Village in Karen State. The village, which was on the main transit route between Hpa-An
Hpa-An
-Education:* Computer University, Hpa-An* Hpa-An Education College* Hpa-An University* Technological University, Hpa-An* Hpa-An Nursing Training School-Religion:...
and Myawaddy
Myawaddy
Myawaddy is a town in south-eastern Myanmar in Kayin State close to the border with Thailand. Separated from the Thai border town of Mae Sot by the Moei River, the town is most important trading point between Myanmar and Thailand....
was made up of three main ethnic groups: the Pa-O
Pa-O
The Pa-Oh form an ethnic group in Burma, comprising approximately 600,000. The Pa-Oh form the second largest ethnic group in Shan State, and are classified as part of the "Shan National Race" by the government, although they are believed to be of Tibeto-Burman stock, and are ethnolinguistically...
who earned their living mainly by weaving, the Mon
Mon people
The Mon are an ethnic group from Burma , living mostly in Mon State, Bago Division, the Irrawaddy Delta, and along the southern Thai–Burmese border. One of the earliest peoples to reside in Southeast Asia, the Mon were responsible for the spread of Theravada Buddhism in Burma and Thailand...
who ran the small shops and businesses, and the Karen who made a small living from farming and agriculture. Living for all of these people was difficult and they all struggled to survive on a daily basis. Maung realized how poor the people were, how little they had and watched as they were forced into working for the military as soldiers and porters. Many village children were not able to attend school and from necessity helped the military in order to make a small amount of money so that they could survive. Taxation was high and diseases such as Tuberculosis widespread. The village had one small hospital but during her stay there was a doctor present for only 2–3 months and there were no medicine or supplies with which to treat the people.
During 1988 the pro-democracy movement and demonstrations increased. Maung joined up with other villagers and high school and university students who had returned to the village. They tried to work together with similar groups from other parts of the country to bring about positive change in Burma. There was a lot of tension, and parents were worried about their children and their safety. Communication and transportation avenues were cut off and the price of rice and commodities went higher and higher. There was confusion and fear among the people. On September 19, 1988 the military seized power, many activists disappeared, fled the country, or were forced to go into hiding. Many thousands of people moved quickly to the Thai–Burma border. On September 21, Dr. Cynthia and fourteen of her colleagues decided it was time for them to go also. With few provisions or personal belongings, they fled through the jungle for seven days. They traveled mainly at night and as they passed through remote villages (where the people had never seen health workers or had access to a hospital) they tried to treat the local people suffering from disease and injury with the limited supplies that they carried.
Dr. Cynthia’s Clinic
On arrival in Thailand, Dr. Maung and her friends stopped at Mae LaMae La refugee camp
Mae La is a refugee camp in Thailand. It was established in 1984 in Tha Song Yang District, Tak Province and currently houses 30,000 refugees, with more arriving each week from Burma. Mae La Camp is the largest Burmese refugee camp...
, opposite Be Claw refugee camp in Tha Song Yars district. Here Maung worked at a small hospital treating those fleeing the fighting. There was a lot of confusion as thousands of people tried to find their friends and families. There were many people with many different political ideas, and illnesses such as malaria were rife. Later, Maung moved to Hway Ka Loke refugee camp and it was while she was here that she made contact with Karen leaders responsible for student affairs and with local Thai authorities and church groups who were sympathetic to the plight of these people. Together, they tried to set up some systems to lessen the confusion and to bring a little order to the situation in the area. In November 1988, Maung moved to Mae Sot. She wanted to set up a center for students needing somewhere to stay or requiring referral for further medical care. Mae Sot had a hospital where this could be done and from this time the Clinic began to develop a referral system with the local hospital which continues today. In February 1989, she was offered a dilapidated building with bare dirt floors on the outskirts of Mae Sot. Here, Dr. Cynthia went to work. Her makeshift clinic had few supplies and less money. She improvised by sterilizing her few precious instruments in a rice cooker and solicited medicine and food from Catholic relief workers working in the area. She and her companions lived simply and worked hard to treat the increasing number of patients coming to the clinic with malaria
Malaria
Malaria is a mosquito-borne infectious disease of humans and other animals caused by eukaryotic protists of the genus Plasmodium. The disease results from the multiplication of Plasmodium parasites within red blood cells, causing symptoms that typically include fever and headache, in severe cases...
, respiratory disease
Respiratory disease
Respiratory disease is a medical term that encompasses pathological conditions affecting the organs and tissues that make gas exchange possible in higher organisms, and includes conditions of the upper respiratory tract, trachea, bronchi, bronchioles, alveoli, pleura and pleural cavity, and the...
and diarrhea
Diarrhea
Diarrhea , also spelled diarrhoea, is the condition of having three or more loose or liquid bowel movements per day. It is a common cause of death in developing countries and the second most common cause of infant deaths worldwide. The loss of fluids through diarrhea can cause dehydration and...
as well as gunshot wounds and land mine
Land mine
A land mine is usually a weight-triggered explosive device which is intended to damage a target—either human or inanimate—by means of a blast and/or fragment impact....
injuries. Malaria cases are still one of the most common diseases treated by the Mae Tao Clinic. As the years have passed, the type of patient attending the clinic has also changed. In the beginning, it was mainly students and young people escaping the fighting. Gradually, migrant workers began to come to the area in an effort to find work and money for their families at home. As more time passed, their wives and families joined them. Today, there are also many children and adolescents who are dropping out of school and need a place of safety. As the population changes, so do the medical needs of those that the Clinic serves. Today, one of the highest patient loads is in Reproductive Health and associated areas. Each year, over 2,700 babies are delivered at the Clinic. The Clinic’s facilities and activities continue to grow. Currently, between 400 - 500 people on average come to the clinic each day, and there is a staff of about 700 providing comprehensive health services and child protection services. Total caseload exceeds 115,000 cases annually with a client number of over 75,000 per year.
Health Services
Mae Tao Clinic provides inpatient and outpatient medical care for adults, children, reproductive health clients, and surgical service patients. Other services include eye care, dental care, laboratory and blood bank services, prosthetics and rehabilitation, voluntary counseling and testing for HIV, and counseling services. Severe cases (less than 1%) are referred to Mae Sot Hospital. Antiretroviral treatment and prevention of mother to child transmission of HIV is also conducted in collaboration with Mae Sot Hospital. Since the establishment of the Clinic, Thai Ministry of Public Health, Mae Sot Hospital and Mae Tao Clinic share information and experiences and have developed a positive working relationship. The Clinic also supports small satellite clinics set up in Burma, particularly in the IDP areas, to assist those who cannot reach the Clinic.Awards
- 2009 - Inspiration Model Award from "Khon Khon Khon", Thai Television Program
- 2008 - Catalonia International Prize along with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi
- 2007 - Asia Democracy and Human Rights Award (Taiwan Foundation for Democracy)
- 2007 - World’s Children’s Prize for the Rights of the Child Honorary Award (Children’s World Association, Sweden)
- 2005 - Nominated as part of the 1,000 Women Nobel Peace PrizeNobel Peace PrizeThe Nobel Peace Prize is one of the five Nobel Prizes bequeathed by the Swedish industrialist and inventor Alfred Nobel.-Background:According to Nobel's will, the Peace Prize shall be awarded to the person who...
Nomination - 2005 - Unsung Heroes of Compassion Award from the Dalai LamaDalai LamaThe Dalai Lama is a high lama in the Gelug or "Yellow Hat" branch of Tibetan Buddhism. The name is a combination of the Mongolian word далай meaning "Ocean" and the Tibetan word bla-ma meaning "teacher"...
and Wisdom in Action - 2005 - The Eighth Global Concern for Human Life Award
- 2005 - Included in Time Magazine’s November Article on 18 Global Health Heroes
- 2002 - Magsaysay Award for community leadership
- 2001 - Foundation for Human Rights in Asia Special Award
- 2001 - Van Heuven Goedhart Award
- 1999 - Jonathon Mann Health and Human Rights Award
- 1999 - American Women's Medical Association President's Award
- 1999 - John Humphrey Freedom AwardJohn Humphrey Freedom AwardThe John Humphrey Freedom Award is presented annually by the Canadian human rights group Rights & Democracy to an organization or individual from any country or region of the world for exceptional achievement in the promotion of human rights and democratic development...
External links
*Mae Tao Clinic Website
About Mae Tao Clinic and Dr. Cynthia Maung
- From Rice Cooker to Autoclave at Dr. Cynthia's Mae Tao Clinic: Twenty Years of Health, Human Rights and Community Development in the Midst of War: http://maetaoclinic.org/wp-content/uploads/pdf/mtc%2020%20yrs.pdf
Research
- "Community-based assessment of human rights in a complex humanitarian emergency: the Emergency Assistance Teams-Burma and Cyclone Nargis" by Voravit Suwanvanichkij, Noriyuki Murakamil, Catherine I Lee, Jen Leigh, Andrea L Wirtz, Brock Daniels, Mahn Mahn, Cynthia Maung and Chris Beyrer: http://www.conflictandhealth.com/content/4/1/8
- "Mobile Obstetrics Project Improves Health of Mothers in Eastern Burma" Mullany et al., (August 2010): http://www.jhsph.edu/publichealthnews/press_releases/2010/mullany_burma_mom_project.html
- "After the Storm: Voices from the Delta" by Voravit Suwanvanichkij, Mahn Mahn, Cynthia Maung, Brock Daniels, Noriyuki Murakami, Andrea Wirtz, and Chris Beyrer (February 2009) http://www.jhsph.edu/humanrights/locations/asia/BurmaCyclone.html
- "Access To Essential Maternal Health Interventions and Human Rights Violations among Vulnerable Communities in Eastern Burma" by Luke C. Mullany, Catherine I. Lee, Lin Yone, Palae Paw, Eh Kalu Shwe Oo, Cynthia Maung, Thomas J. Lee, and Chris Beyrer (December 2008): http://www.burmalibrary.org/docs6/Access_To_Essential_Maternal_Health.pdf
- "Working our Way Back Home: Fertility and Pregnancy Loss on the Thai-Burmese Border" by Cynthia Maung and Suzanne Belton (December 2005) http://www.ibiblio.org/obl/docs3/OurWay.pdf