Compiled by Hla Kyi, Dr. Don Simborg, Dr. Patricia Salber, Dr. David Holbrooke,
Kathryn Johnson, Carol Patterson, Hla Kyi and Jeff Hardy
The political relationship between the United States and Myanmar
worsened after the 1988 military coup
and violent suppression of pro-democracy demonstrations. However,
following signs
of liberalization, the US government began the process of improving its
links with Myanmar in 2011.
In February 2011, Tyler Darland, President of PMI International and Hla Kyi,
Vice President of PMI International contacted Jeff Hardy requesting that he
review the design of a hospital proposed to be built in Myanmar. Jeff
(founder and now President of C4P), is a 30-year veteran in healthcare systems,
service and facility planning and design. He facilitated innovative and
widely publicized management operations and new-facility development services
for over 120 hospitals all over the US. Clients included Kaiser
Permanente, Catholic Healthcare West, Columbia/HCA Healthcare, Adventist
Healthcare Systems, Disney Celebration Health, et al. Internationally,
Jeff developed hospitals and healthcare systems for Kaiser Foundation
International in the Bahamas, Bahrain, Curacao N.A., and the United Arab
Republics, et al.
Most recently, Jeff led new facility development initiatives for the
International Medical Center in Hanoi, Vietnam, the Women’s and Children’s
Hospital in Port Harcourt, Nigeria, the Mobile Public Health Program in Delta
State, Nigeria, and the Matibabu Hospital in Ukwala, Kenya.
After the United States formally eased sanctions on Myanmar with the three
basic humanitarian assistances including Health Care support in July 2012, Mr.
Tyler Darland and Mr. Hla Kyi went to Myanmar to give a message from Mr. Jeff
to Myanmar President office about willing to support humanitarian Health Care,
and then the President Office directed to Ministry of Health, as a result
the Deputy Minister and Officials met with Mr. Tyler and Mr. Hla Kyi, and
then follow up meeting with Dr. Than Sein. Subsequent discussions with Jeff led
to a visit to the US by Dr. Than Sein on behalf of the president of Myanmar to
look at several US hospitals.
Tyler Darland, Hla Kyi, Jeff Hardy and Linda Tavasi, CEO of the Marin Community
Clinic hosted the visit. Based on this visit, the group decided to work
together to help develop the Myanmar National Health System. Dr. Sein
went back to Myanmar and founded the People’s Health Foundation (PHF).
Jeff Hardy, with the guidance and support of the first C4P Board Chairman, Dr.
David Holbrooke, founded C4P. Tyler Darland and Hla Kyi joined the C4P
administration and Linda Tavasi became a Board Member of C4P.
In August 2012, Jeff, Tyler Darland and Hla Kyi met with Dr. Sein and the
Myanmar Minister of Health, the Hon. Pe Thet Khin, to draft a Cooperative
Agreement between C4P, the PHF and the Ministry of Health to collaborate in
developing the Myanmar National Health System. The agreement was signed
in October 2012.
Also in October 2012 the Myanmar Ministry of Health engaged Jeff and C4P to
design one prototype “Mini-Medical Center (MMC)” in Rakhine State, Myanmar,
that will exist as a showcase facility for considering potential implementation
strategy for the next few MMCs to be built in Rakhine State. While the
long-range vision is to build 250 MMCs where they are needed most in rural
Myanmar, prudence dictates next-step planning will need to be carefully
organized to ensure sufficient time and attention is given to any village
interested in the slow-but-steady process of development required for securing
success…and avoiding failure.
