GE Announces $7 Million Commitment in Myanmar to Support Broad Training and Capacity-Building Efforts

Expansive initiatives in Myanmar represent commitment

to strengthen Healthcare, Energy Infrastructure,

Leadership Development and Rule-of-Law

 

 

June 10th 2013 – GE (NYSE:GE) announced a $7 million commitment in Myanmar that will support significant training and capacity-building efforts throughout the country.  Specifically, the new commitment will focus on strengthening the health care system, improving the energy architecture and promoting the development of Myanmar’s human capacity.

 

John Rice, GE Vice Chairman and President and CEO of Global Growth Operations said, “While Myanmar has made enormous strides to integrate into the global community and promote economic development, there are key areas where GE and others can partner to build capacity and support Myanmar’s future growth. GE is proud to make this commitment to Myanmar’s future.”

 

Initiatives will include the following:

 

Healthcare Programming

 

• Maternal and infant care. GE Foundation announced it will expand its ‘Developing Health Globally’™ (DHG) program to include Myanmar. This represents an initial $3 million commitment and as the program evolves, the GE Foundation expects it could more than double the investment.

 

• The initial work in Myanmar will focus on decreasing the rate of maternal and new-born infection at Government operated, district-level hospitals and clinics, as well as strengthening other aspects of maternal care

 

• The GE Foundation will partner with the Ministry of Health (MOH) in Myanmar and Jhpiego, an affiliate of Johns Hopkins University to fulfill this commitment

 

• The DHG program partners with Ministries of Health in developing nations to improve infrastructure and build human capacity. The program so far has invested more than $80 million in key public health areas such as maternal and child health, biomedical repair, trauma and surgical care.

 

• Rural healthcare pilot project. In partnership with the MOH, GE will supply training, technology and equipment to help reduce maternal and infant mortality rates. This will include the ‘Rural Kit’ comprising handheld ultrasound units (Vscan), infant warmers and LED phototherapy.The program is scheduled to launch in August 2013

 

• Biomedical engineer training program. In partnership with the MOH, GE is providing training for 40 MOH participants on the usage of medical devices and on the delivery of healthcare

 

• New training centre. Sponsored by GE and located at Yangon General Hospital

 

GE Power & Water Programming

 

• Master Electricity Plan. GE Power & Water will help develop a master electricity plan for Myanmar, which will evaluate how to best address its needs with the resources available.  The plan will identify what types of power solutions will be most effective and where facilities should be located to maximize efficiency and system stability.

 

GE Corporate Programming

 

• Leadership development. GE is launching a leadership training program for public and private sector leaders in Myanmar.  Under this program, 50 individuals will be selected for an intensive two-week program in the United States focusing on the development of leadership skills in business, government, and civil society.  An additional 50 local leaders will be given the opportunity to participate in a GE sponsored ASEAN regional leadership training program at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy in Singapore.

 

• Advancing the Rule-of-Law. The GE Foundation is also working to enhance the rule-of-law in Myanmar through:

 

• Supporting the provision of legal services by international lawyers (the Senior International Lawyers Program) to the Myanmar Resource Development Institute (MRDI) and other legal institutions in Myanmar.

 

• Sponsoring the participation of Myanmar Government officials in international training on public procurement best practices.

 

• Establishing the Myanmar chapter of Transparency International and supporting the Rule-of-Law and Anti-Corruption Committees set up by the Myanmar Government.

 

 

About GE

GE (NYSE: GE) works on things that matter. The best people and the best technologies taking on the toughest challenges. Finding solutions in energy, health and home, transportation and finance. Building, powering, moving and curing the world. Not just imagining. Doing. GE works. For more information, visit the company’s website at www.ge.com.

 

About the GE Foundation

The GE Foundation, the philanthropic organization of GE, works to solve some of the world’s most difficult problems. With its partners, the GE Foundation focuses its efforts in the areas of health, education, the environment and disaster relief. In 2012, the GE family invested more than $200 million to global community and educational needs. For more information, visit www.gefoundation.com.