(Pyidaungsu Hluttaw Law (2015) No. ) 1376ME 2015
The Pyidaunsu Hluttaw (the Union Parliament) now therefore promulgates this law.
Chapter I
Title and Definition
1. This Law shall be called the Population Control Healthcare Law.
2. The following expressions contained in this law shall have the meanings given hereunder –
(a) “Population Control” means attempting to control over high population density, high population growth rate, and high birth rate in the nation;
(b) “Healthcare” means safe population control healthcare. It includes public awareness for birth spacing, pregnancy care, and childbirth, and prevention against and public education on miscarriage and miscarriage-related risks for ensuring a safe maternal and child life;
(c) “Birth spacing” means the practice of having at least a 36-month interval between one child birth and another for a married woman
(d) “Ministry” means the Ministry of Health of the Union Government;
(e) “Department” means one of the departments under the “Ministry”;
(f) “Region or State group” means Region or State population control healthcare group formed under this Law. This expression also contains Union Territory population control healthcare group;
(g) “Township group” means Township population control healthcare group formed under this Law;
Chapter II
Objectives
3 The Objectives of this law are as follows:
(a) To improve living standards while alleviating poverty in the country;
(b) To ensure sufficient quality healthcare; and
(c) To develop maternal and child health.
Chapter III
Designation of areas for conducting healthcare
4. Union Territory Governing Body and Region or State government taking the assistance of experts shall conduct a survey to ascertain whether the high population density, increasing population growth rate, high birthrate, high maternal and child mortality rate, and high migration rate cause or risk the cause of imbalance between population and resources, declining socio-economic indicators, and food insufficiency in their respective regions.
5. If the causes and risks mentioned in the Article 4 are found the Union Territory Governing body shall inform the President, and the Region or State Government shall inform the Union Government about the matter.
6. When the submission mentioned in the Article 5 is received the President shall issue notification designating the Union Territory as a zone for healthcare under this Law, and the Union Government shall issue notification designating the respective area (region or state) as a zone for healthcare under this Law.
7. According to Article 6, if an area is designated as a zone for healthcare:
(a) The Ministry shall commence its functions and duties in the said zone.
(b) The Region or State government concerned shall form Region or State group, and implement healthcare activities.
8. (a) If the healthcare under this Law is no longer needed, as for the Union Territory, the Union Territory Governing body shall submit the matter to the President and as for a Region or a State, the Region or State government concerned shall submit the matter to the Union Government.
(b) If the submission is received according to sub-Article (a) the President or the Union Government shall revoke the notification designating the area concerned as a special zone.
Chapter IV
Duties and functions of the Ministry
9. Duties and functions of the Ministry in connection with population control healthcare activities are as follows:
(a) Giving directives to the Region or State group concerned as necessary in accordance with the national health policy;
(b) Assigning the relevant departments the duties and functions under this Law for effective implementation of the task;
(c) Accepting donations and assistance from UN agencies, international bodies, foreign countries, NGOs, local and foreign donors and supervising and managing the use of the received medicines, cash and health aids;
(d) Inspecting the received medicines to ascertain whether they meet the standard quality and are suitable for use;
(e) Distributing medicines and health aid required for healthcare activities;
(f) Arranging qualification improvement for persons who will conduct healthcare activities;
(g) Conducting research on the interrelationship between healthcare and social, cultural, economic and population changes.
Chapter V
Formation and functions and duties of Region or State group
10. (a) Region or State government that concerned with the special zone for healthcare under this Law shall form Region or State population control healthcare group with the following persons:
i. Social Affairs Minister Chairman-Region or State government
ii. Head of Office Vice-Chairman-Region or State Health Department
iii. Director Member-Region or State General Administration Department
iv. Education Officer Member-Region or State Education Officer’s Office
v. Head of Office Member-Region or State Immigration and National Registration Department
vi. Office Head Member-Region or State Social Welfare Relief and Resettlement Office
vii. Medical Superintendent Member-Region or State People’s Hospital
viii. Obstetrics and Gynecology Specialist Member-Region or State People’s Hospital
ix. Child Specialist Member-Region or State People’s Hospital
x. Chairperson Member-Region or State Women’s Affairs Committee
xi. Chairperson Member-Region or State Maternal and Child Welfare Supervisory Committee
xii. A representative Member-Region or State Myanmar Medical Association
xiii. Administrators Member-General Administration Department Offices of the respective districts
xiv. Heads of Office Member-Health Department offices of respective districts
xv. Deputy Head of Office Secretary-Region or State Health Department
(b) The stipulations contained in the sub-Article (a) shall not concern with the formation of population control healthcare group in the Union Territory.
11. The Union Territory Governing Body shall form Union Territory population control healthcare group for the Union Territory concerned as appropriate.
12. The functions and duties of Region or State group are as follows:
(a) Implementing the task as per the directives of the Ministry and Region or State government and the Union Territory Governing body;
(b) Steering, supervising and reviewing the work of Township group
(c) Cooperating with the relevant government departments, governmental organizations and no-governmental organizations.
(d) Accepting, distributing and documenting the medicines, and health aids provided by the Ministry.
(e) Receiving donations and assistance from the local and foreign donors and cooperating with them; and managing and supervising the use of the accepted medicines, cash and health aids
(f) Arranging courses for persons providing healthcare
(g) Prescribing rules for persons receiving healthcare and promoting public health awareness
(h) Disseminating information and knowledge in promoting public participation
(i) Discharging duties assigned occasionally by the Ministry and Region or State Government and the Union Territory Governing body
Chapter VI
Formation and functions and duties of Township group
13. Region or State group concerned with the special zone for healthcare under this Law shall form the Township population control healthcare group with the following persons:
(a) Administrator Township General Administration Department Office Chairman
(b) Office Head Vice-Chairman
Township Health Department Office
(c) Office Head Member
Township Immigration and National
Registration Department Office
(d) Township Education Officer Member
Township Education Officers’ Office
(e) Chairperson Member
Township Women’s Affairs
Committee
(f) Chairperson Member
Township Maternal and Child Welfare Association
(g) Secretary Member
Township Redcross
(h) Chairman Member
Township Development Support
Committee
(i) A non-government-staff physician
of the township concerned Member
(j) A physician of Township
Health Department Office Secretary
14. Functions and duties of Township group in connection with population control healthcare are as follows;
(a) Implementing the task in accord with the directives of respective Region or State group
(b) Providing quality healthcare for urban and rural people
(c) Distributing healthcare medicines and aids to the people free of charge
(d) Conducting trainings for healthcare workers
(e) Providing healthcare knowledge and counseling services to married couples.
(f) Educating and organizing married couples to practice birth spacing for improving maternal and child health
(g) Making information on young reproductive health development available to youth
(h) Broader dissemination of public knowledge on birth spacing
(i) Acceptance, systematic use and documentation of donated cash, medicines and health aids
(j) Submitting monthly work report to Region or State group concerned
(k) Carrying out duties assigned occasionally by the Region or State group.
Chapter VII
General
15. The Ministry shall bear the expenses of Region or State group and Township groups.
16. (a) Region or State Health Department shall set up an office with suitable staff to carry out office work of Region or State group.
(b) Township Health Department shall set up an office with suitable staff to carry out office work of Township group
17. Healthcare providers shall be deemed public servants during the time they are discharging duties
18. The relevant government departments and institutions shall provide assistance in implementing this Law
The implementation of population control healthcare activities under this Law shall not be concerned with normal healthcare works being carried out by the Ministry in non-designated zones of Region or State, and the
Union Territory
19. In implementing the provisions contained in this Law –
(a) The Ministry shall issue rules and regulations with the approval of Union Government
(b) The Ministry, Region or State government, and the Union Territory Governing body, and the department and Region or State group shall issue notifications, orders, instructions and procedures.
Signed here below according to the Republic of the Union of Myanmar Constitution
Thein Sein
President of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar
Unofficial Translation
Note: The bill introduces the practice of birth spacing, requiring women to wait three years between pregnancies, which can curb maternal and child deaths[Reuters]
