This report consolidates the main developments of the pharmaceutical market in Myanmar over the last decade. Among the APAC Markets, Myanmar is catching the most attention after the Vietnam. The report provides in-depth information on the healthcare medical system & Pharmaceutical market of Myanmar.

1. A Review on the Healthcare system & Pharmaceutical
Market of Myanmar
A report by Shivani Chauhan*
Abstract
This report intends to consolidate the main developments of the pharmaceutical market in
Myanmar over the last decade. Even the global pharmaceutical market is decreasing at it pace,
pharma-emerging markets keep on being an imposing factor of development; crosswise over
Asia, Africa and South America, and these business sectors are gloating a CAGR of 12-17%.
Among the APAC Markets, Myanmar is catching the most attention after the Vietnam. With the
fruition of parliamentary elections in the March 2016, there are positive signs that the force for
change and market progression will quicken. Undoubtedly, Myanmar looks like the beginning of
some of today's leading Asian creating markets, for example, Vietnam and Indonesia. However,
while understanding the similitudes is certainly valuable, the enticement to merely duplicate
entry strategies and market assumptions should be resisted. Myanmar’s underinvested healthcare
services, sizeable talent gaps, and noteworthy regulatory and affordability hurdles, require an
educated approach, and managed expectations.
In the recent years, the demand for healthcare services has risen among the Myanmar
populations. The report provides in-depth information on the healthcare medical system along
with regulatory & ministry environment of Myanmar.
The report also suggest that the market growth will mainly be driven by factors, like changing
regulatory environment, increasing disposable incomes, rising prevalence of lifestyle diseases,
and significant developments in the field of contract manufacturing, particularly in APIs. The
OTC sector in the region has also been expanding rapidly.
Keywords: Myanmar healthcare market, emerging markets; healthcare statistics, regulatory &
ministry environment, Govt. healthcare structure, Food & Drug control authority, escalating
healthcare cost, Health insurance.
*Corresponding Author: Shivani Chauhan. MIET, Meerut U.P., India
Email: shivanichauhan232@gmail.com

2. Introduction
As Myanmar grasps a market economy, the country is slowly making progress. Gross domestic
product and life expectancy have both become relentlessly, with compensations, disposable
income and financial open doors all on the rise. For foreign investors, indications of monetary
and political change are generating confidence in proceeded growth and market expansion.
Undoubtedly, this appears as an impression of being stand out bearing to go upward.
However, this development will be organic and prolonged. In healthcare sector, a recorded
absence of speculation has resulted in low levels of health personnel and infrastructure with
respect to population.
This has, in turn, prompted to a significant health burden. As indicated by the World Health
Organization, for example, Myanmar suffers some of Asia's highest rates of childhood
malnutrition and under-five mortality (56,000 deaths for every year), and high (though
improving) maternal mortality (200 for each 100,000 live births).
Moreover, from both a social and regulatory perspective, Myanmar is still struggling to embrace
the transparency and responsibility that were prominently missing before. Since the country
currently ranks high on the Transparency International corruption scale, conservative caution
will be important to ensure compliant, and sustainable, business growth.
Myanmar's pharmaceutical market will see robust growth over the coming years. A growing
economy is a central factor underpinning this trajectory as is the country's gradually improving
healthcare infrastructure. In terms of value pharmaceutical market is growing from MMK458bn
(USD391mn) in 2015 to MMK525bn (USD409mn) in 2016; +14.6% in local currency terms and
+4.5% in US dollar terms whereas healthcare expenditure is also growing from MMK1,608bn
(USD1.4bn) in 2015 to MMK1,796bn (USD1.4bn) in 2016; +11.6% in local currency terms and
1.7% in US dollar terms.
Myanmar healthcare and economy
As the economy keeps on developing in Myanmar, one of the areas that has seen a noteworthy
upgrade is the healthcare industry. The new government in Myanmar has increased government
spending on its medicinal services spending plan. However, the government spending on
healthcare is still one of the least in the ASEAN region with an aggregate budget of 5% which is
roughly $600 million USD of the government’s budget in 2015 in contrast with 3.9% in 2013.
The healthcare sector in Myanmar is likewise open to foreign investments with 70% of foreign
ownership now being permitted in hospitals and clinics. Healthcare spending in Myanmar is
essentially being paid for by out of pocket (OOP) cost by the general population.
Structure of Myanmar Health Ministry

3. Myanmar Ministry of Health is the official government healthcare provider in the country. There
are also some government ministries that have their own hospitals to provide healthcare services
for their staff and families. The Ministry of Industry is responsible for the Myanmar
Pharmaceutical Factory which has previously manufactured medicines for use here in Myanmar.
The above committees/departments are very well connected with all the ministries along with the
below mentioned societies –
• Myanmar Woman’s Affairs Federation
• Myanmar Maternal & Child Welfare Association
• Red Cross Society
• Medical Association
• Dental Association
• Nurses Association
• Health Assistant Association
• Traditional Medicine Practitioners Association
• Community Based Organization
• Faith Based Organization
• Parent-Teacher Association
Healthcare Facilities in Myanmar

4. The primary care hospital specialties are located in Yangon and Mandalay. Healthcare facilities
situated outside of these two regions of Myanmar are more cut back with hospital station giving
basic healthcare services for people living in those rustic locales. The government gives equal
opportunity healthcare services in Myanmar paying little heed to ethnicity. In any case, regions
which still have some armed civil conflicts such as northern Kachin State, Northern Shan State,
Eastern Kayin State, and Southern Mon State don’t have entry to government healthcare
providers because of the way that these locales are as of now out with the national governance
arrangements. Myanmar practices both modern and traditional medicine practices with no
particular remedies confined to a geological locales.
Classification of Myanmar Healthcare services
Public Healthcare
Private Healthcare
Healthcare facility location by region in Myanmar

5. Major specialist hospitals located in Myanmar, including children’s hospitals and women’s
hospitals, are located in Yangon & Mandalay. Second level urban communities- capitals of
different states and divisions- may have couple of specialist hospitals located in the area. The
vast majority of these areas will have general hospitals with specialist services available on
location. Townships have hospital sizes (beds) as per their individual township size with very
rural areas having station hospitals. Patient care is referred up the healthcare system when
esteemed essential, with the most critical cases referred to Yangon where primary healthcare
providers are located. Private clinics and pharmacies serve primarily as ambulatory healthcare in
Myanmar. The “Township Health System” was introduced in 1964 as part of the healthcare
education plan and is now the core of the Myanmar Healthcare System for both promoting and
preventive healthcare services.
Traditional healthcare services framework in Myanmar
The Myanmar health system still offers traditional herbal medicines alongside modern
therapeutic practices, which may come as an amaze to a few. The government supports scientific
ways of evaluating the benefits of therapeutic agents while sustaining famous and uncommon
medicinal plants. The government additionally bolsters the investigation, sustentation, and
propagation of treatises and practices. Altogether there are 14 traditional medicine hospitals
worked by the Myanmar government. Traditional medical practitioners are trained at the Institute
of Traditional Medicine and now a University of Traditional Medicine has been established for
further advancement in this field.
Number of Government Hospitals in Myanmar (2016)
Types of Hospitals Number
Total Government Hospital 795 Hospitals
Government Hospital (Above 25 bedded) 366 Hospitals
Figure 1: Showing the number of Govt. hospitals (above 25 bedded)

6. Number of Doctors in Myanmar (2016)
Number of Doctors in State Service 7652
Number of Doctors in Private Practice 13578
Total 21230
In the new Capital of Myanmar, Nay Pyi Taw, 1000 bedded General Hospital is providing
general medical and special care facilities including cardiology, pulmonary, urology, neurology,
gastrointestinal and hepatology. Intensive Care Unit with emergency medical and surgical
services are now available to those residing in middle Myanmar.
In addition, new five Township hospitals (50 Bedded) are providing curative and public health
services in Nay Pyi Taw district. For specialist services, four 500 bedded specialist hospitals
such as Central Women Hospital, Children Hospital, Orthopaedic Hospital and Eye, Ear, Nose,
Throat Hospital are being planned to be opened in Nay Pyi Taw.
Based on religious and social customs, Myanmar people are eager to provide assistance for
social works. Local community and private donors have contributed for curative health service in
terms of cash or fulfilled hospital needs including medical equipment. The Hospital Management
Committees led by local administrative authority and members from related departments are
organized and are then making coordinated effort to fulfill needs of the hospitals according to
functional requirements. Public hospitals throughout the country are stipulated to raise and
establish trust fund and interest earned from these funds are used for supporting poor in
accessing needed medicinal supply and diagnostic services where user charges are practiced.
By 31st March 2016, 164 Private hospitals (136 General hospitals and 28 Specialist hospitals),
211 Special Clinics and 2910 General Clinics have been licensed to provide quality health care.
Myanmar Health Care System is thus strengthened through augmenting the role of private health
sector as stated in the National Health Policy to fulfill the public needs.
Outreach cataract surgical teams, reconstructive surgery teams and general medical and surgical
teams from Eye, ENT hospitals, central, state/regional and 200 bedded hospitals have provided
their services throughout the country. The services are free and costs for out-reach services were
borne by NGOs and other individual donors.
List of Major Hospitals and Health Care Centers in Yangon, Myanmar
• New Yangon General Hospital
• West Yangon General Hospital
• People's Hospital (East)
• Pun Hlaing International Hospital
• Sakura Medical Centre
• Shwe Gon Dine Specialist Centre
• Academy Private Hospital
• Asia Royal Cardiac & Medical Care Centre
• Australian Embassy Health Clinic

7. • Central Women’s Hospital
• Hlaing Thayar General Hospital
• Home Medicare Service Clinic
• International SOS Clinic
• Pacific Medical Centre
International Hospitals in Myanmar
• The Pun Hlaing International Hospital
It is the first international hospital in Myanmar. The history of this Hospital starts with the
hospital development team from Washington D.C., Singapore and Myanmar. There are over 200
highly dedicated physicians and specialists from Myanmar together with a professional team of
nurses and residential medical officers and highly efficient management teams. In addition,
overseas doctors in 7 specialties such as cardiology, cardiac surgery, joint replacement surgery,
plastic surgery, general surgery, breast and thyroid surgery and eye cataract surgery are regularly
practicing their skills to obviate the need for Myanmar patients to travel abroad for medical
services and provide the Myanmar medical specialists, opportunities to closely collaborate with
their oversea counterparts.
• Bangkok Hospital Office, Myanmar
Bangkok Hospital Myanmar Office has been representing JCI-accredited Bangkok Hospital,
Thailand since 2002. The office assists those who would like to get medical treatment and health
check-ups at Bangkok Hospital, the flagship the Bangkok Hospital Group, the largest private
hospital group in Thailand. It arranges a variety of services from basic consultation to facilitating
treatment at Bangkok Hospital.
Myanmar Pharmaceutical Market
The country holds only 4 local pharmaceutical production units as the domestic industrial
production for all the sectors is in its nascent stages. In sharp contrast, there are 100 odd
distributors of foreign drug companies, importing over 5000 kind of allopathic formulations.
Inevitably local demand for medicines & health supplements is fed by imports.
For the country’s population of 57 million, per capita expenditure on medical needs is low and
access to medical care is difficult in rural/village areas where people have to travel long
distances to get treatment and medicines. According to the World Health Organization, 93% of
all medical expenses are given by patients themselves since government cover and health
insurance have yet to be initiated. Unlike other countries where pharmacies, drug stores and
medicine shops are seen around every corner, the number of such medicine outlets in Myanmar
is very small. It is customary for all doctors, clinics, polyclinics and hospitals to provide

8. medicines, and they have their own sources of procurement from a network of preferred
distributors. Over 60% of drug sales take place in the two big cities, Yangon and Mandalay.
According to market research agencies the total pharmaceutical expenditure in Myanmar has
been growing at 13 -14% per annum, and has increased from USD 391 million in 2015 to USD
409 million in 2016. However, these values are lower than most ASEAN nations including
Singapore whose population is one tenth that of Myanmar. Growth prospects with governmental
initiatives are high and the market is expected to touch USD 1.12 billion by 2023. However,
most of the pharmaceutical products sold come from countries like India, Bangladesh, China,
Indonesia, Pakistan, Thailand and Vietnam. Research figures indicate that total pharmaceutical
imports accounted for 85% of the drug market and India takes the lead with a strong 40-45%
market share. All imported drugs have to be registered and authorized by the FDA that inspects
pharmaceutical plants and importers and also tests the quality of drugs. At present,
approximately 5000 drug varieties are imported into Myanmar. Major shares of therapy wise
segments in Myanmar are Anti Infective, Vitamins, and Analgesics, with the market share of
27%, 31%, and 13% respectively.

9. Conclusion:
Despite the small size of Myanmar’s pharmaceutical market, Myanmar offers the pharmaceutical
companies or drug-makers strong revenue-earning opportunities. Generic and over-the-counter
drug companies in particular stand to benefit, as the population’s per capita expenditure on
pharmaceuticals and healthcare remains low but set to rise.
References:
1. www.medgadget.com
2. http://www.imshealth.com:90/zh_TW/thought-leadership/asia-pacific-insights/white-papers/myanmar-in-
transition
3. http://www.pharmaceuticalsinsight.com
4. http://www.industry.gov.mm
5. www.bmiresearch.com
Author’s Biography
“Shivani Chauhan is a content marketing professional, who helps to an
inbound marketing and sales companies to attract visitors, convert leads,
and close customers. Previously, Shivani worked as a product executive
for a pharmaceutical company. She graduated with honors in
Pharmacology with a dual certification in Brand Management and
Creative Writing.”