Advertisement Daughters of CharityICN Would you like to advertise on ICN? Click to learn more.

Burma: Buddhists & Catholics collaborate to estabish free clinic


Opening ceremony

Opening ceremony

A Catholic priest's dream to open a free clinic for the needy in Mandalay, Myanmar has been realized thanks to the efforts of a Buddhist monk. Father John Aye Kyaw, parish priest of Sacred Heart Cathedral in Mandalay said it all came about after he told a Mandalay inter-faith group what he wanted to do.

Venerable Seinnita, a Buddhist monk involved in many social projects, was at the meeting and immediately stepped forward and volunteered his services and the space to make the dream a reality. The monk who runs the Asia Light foundation, which carries out social activities such as disaster relief work and blood donation drives, said another monk from Mandalay set aside space for the clinic in his monastery where small-scale vendors live by the bank of the Irrawaddy.

It opened its doors for the first time earlier this month and has 15 volunteer doctors and several nurses providing much needed care. A committee of 13 Buddhist volunteers manages the clinic. In the short time it has been open more than 300 patients have been treated.

The priest put up the money (around US$7,400) to get the clinic up and running and will also continue to support the medicine expenses.

Donors also contributed around $1,350 at the clinic's opening, according to Khin Than Myint, a volunteer worker serving as the clinic's accountant.

"The clinic is a vital project for the local community and I am really proud that religions can come together to make this happen," Venerable Seinnita said.

"We need many more of these clinics not only in Mandalay but especially in rural areas. Cooperation between religious leaders can play a key role in achieving this," he added.

Fr Aye Kyaw said: "The relationship between us will develop even further through this clinic, Venerable Seinnita and I already consider ourselves as brothers...All religions need to work with one spirit. "We all need to work and cooperate for all mankind without political intentions."

Source: UCAN - www.ucanews.com


Adverts

The Passionists

We offer publicity space for Catholic groups/organisations. See our advertising page if you would like more information.

We Need Your Support

ICN aims to provide speedy and accurate news coverage of all subjects of interest to Catholics and the wider Christian community. As our audience increases - so do our costs. We need your help to continue this work.

You can support our journalism by advertising with us or donating to ICN.

Mobile Menu Toggle Icon