Pediatric Oncology Nutrition in Myanmar

At Yangon Children’s Hospital (YCH), Myanmar’s largest public pediatric hospital, the Hematology/Oncology (HOU) department faces a significant challenge: treating over 400 children with cancer each year, many of whom suffer from malnutrition. This issue is critical, as poor nutrition exacerbates treatment side effects, hinders recovery, and reduces survival rates.

Initially, YCH/HOU had no formal nutrition program. Although local donors provided meals, the lack of consistent supplemental nutrition, trained personnel, and adequate educational resources meant that malnourished children were not receiving the support they needed. Recognizing this gap, YCH and BCH launched a collaboration in 2017, which, with the support of international and local donors, culminated in the establishment of a formal inpatient nutrition program in 2019.

The impact of this program has been profound. Since its launch, a dedicated nutritionist has evaluated over 400 inpatient children for malnutrition. Families now benefit from personalized nutrition counseling, and approximately 100 nutrition packages of milk, formula, and food are distributed monthly to those in need. More than 100 nurses have attended specialized nutrition lectures, and a core group of parents, teachers, social workers, and nurses have undergone advanced training to become peer leaders and educators.

Prior to the 2021 military coup, we had also been  developing a comprehensive nutrition curriculum in collaboration with the WHO Global Initiative for Childhood Cancer, creating culturally tailored educational materials for both children and their caregivers. Though the collaboration is currently paused, renovations were underway at YCH to create dedicated kitchen space for the safe storage and preparation of food and supplements, and plans were also in motion to expand outpatient nutrition services and extend the program to a sister hospital in Mandalay, Myanmar, ensuring even more children benefit from enhanced nutritional support.

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