The New Mon State Party (NMSP) Health Department (Central) has launched a vaccination program for pregnant women and young children in three areas under its administration, Payathonzu, Ye Chaunghpyar, and Yebyu, starting this October, according to an announcement from the Mon National Health Committee (MNHC).
The program, part of the Expanded Program on Immunization (EPI), will provide vaccinations for pregnant women and children under the age of five from October 25, 2025, to February 2026.
According to an NMSP Health Department official, the vaccination campaign will cover 10 villages in Payathonzu, 11 villages in Ye Chaunghpyar, and 9 villages in Yebyu.
“There are seven types of vaccines, which together help prevent 12 diseases. Each township will receive four vaccination rounds. Before vaccination begins, local health committees and village chairpersons are informed through township and district channels,” the official said.
The vaccines administered under the EPI program protect against tuberculosis, hepatitis B, pneumonia, Japanese encephalitis, tetanus, polio, and severe diarrhea, among other diseases.
The Mon National Health Department implements this vaccination program annually during the dry season. However, officials noted that continuous rainfall and poor road conditions this year could delay the schedule.
“We do this every dry season, but if the rain continues, travel becomes difficult due to damaged roads, so sometimes we have to postpone beyond the planned dates,” an official explained.
The NMSP’s Health Department first launched the EPI vaccination program in 2010 and continued until 2020, when it was suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the military junta’s coup.
Since 2023, the department has resumed vaccination efforts and other healthcare services for the local population in Mon-administered areas.
Women’s and children’s rights organizations report that many children under five in conflict-affected areas have missed essential vaccinations due to ongoing military clashes following the junta’s power seizure.
