Myanmar nurses are a shining example to the world of the very best of the profession. Their commitment to providing care to the population of Myanmar is unwavering. Time and time again they demonstrate bravery and tenacity in the face of adversity.

Since the military coup in 2021, nurses have been at the forefront of the Civil Disobedience Movement, fighting for democracy. Hospitals and Universities were closed by the junta, the vast majority of medical staff were arrested or killed, leaving nurses, who had previously been subservient to the doctors suddenly becoming the main deliverers of healthcare to the people but with no access to education.

On Friday the 28th of March a magnitude 7.7 earthquake hit Myanmar. The full extent of this disaster is currently unknown but the devastation of this earthquake is huge. To-date over 3,000 people have been reported killed – the final total will be far greater and yet the Junta continue to bomb. Reports from withinside Myanmar are censored and not easily available. What we know now is devastating and we fear the reality of the full situation.

Both the civil war and the earthquake are putting the healthcare systems in Myanmar under extreme pressure, now and for the foreseeable future. Well educated, skilled and professional nurses are essential for the health of the population.

The Phoenix Nursing programme has been running for 3 years. It has been designed and is being delivered through voluntary partnerships between nursing experts across the world. Our collective aim, is equipping the nurses of Myanmar with the skills, education and resources to provide care to the people to Myanmar. The programme supports over 150 qualified and student nurses. These are incredible young people, all of whom are at risk of persecution from the Junta. They have fled their homes and families to train to be nurses and now don’t know if their families have survived the quake.

Never more so do they need our support. The commitment and dedication of these nurses is exceptional. All funds raised through this Just Giving appeal, will go directly to Phoenix nurses in Myanmar. It will provide essential resources, including wifi and enable them to continue to study and deliver care in areas of the country that have been devasted. The International Phoenix nursing community, continue to devote their time and expertise for free to support our amazing Burmese colleagues. Please help.