Thesis Proposal Doctor General Practitioner in Myanmar Yangon – Free Word Template Download with AI

This thesis proposal outlines a critical investigation into the potential role of the Doctor General Practitioner (GP) within Myanmar's healthcare system, with specific focus on addressing systemic deficiencies in primary care delivery across Yangon Region. Despite Myanmar's ambitious goals for Universal Health Coverage (UHC), Yangon—the nation's economic hub and most populous city—faces severe challenges including physician shortages, fragmented service delivery, and inadequate access to timely primary care. With only 0.7 doctors per 10,000 people nationally (WHO, 2023) and significantly lower ratios in urban slums of Yangon, the current model fails to meet population needs. This research proposes a contextualized Doctor General Practitioner framework tailored for Myanmar Yangon’s socio-economic and infrastructural realities. The study aims to evaluate the feasibility, acceptability, and impact of integrating certified GPs into community health centers across diverse Yangon townships (e.g., Thaketa, Hlaingtharyar), focusing on improved chronic disease management, reduced hospital referrals, and enhanced patient satisfaction. Findings will directly inform national policy reforms for scaling this model beyond Yangon.

Myanmar Yangon is a city of over 8 million people grappling with an acute primary healthcare crisis. The current system, dominated by specialist-centric tertiary hospitals and under-resourced public clinics, results in overcrowded facilities, delayed diagnoses, and preventable complications—particularly for non-communicable diseases (NCDs) like diabetes and hypertension, which now account for 50% of disease burden in Yangon (MOH Myanmar, 2022). The absence of a structured Doctor General Practitioner workforce is a fundamental gap. Unlike established GP systems in the UK or Australia, Myanmar lacks trained GPs who serve as first-contact physicians managing common ailments within community settings. This void forces patients to seek care at overburdened hospitals for minor issues, wasting resources and worsening equity. The proposed thesis directly addresses this by examining how implementing a culturally appropriate Doctor General Practitioner model can decentralize care from Yangon’s overcrowded hospitals to accessible neighborhood clinics, aligning with Myanmar’s National Health Plan (2019–2030).

In Myanmar Yangon, 68% of the urban population relies on public health facilities that lack sufficient primary care physicians (UNICEF, 2023). Key issues include: (1) No standardized training for GPs; medical graduates typically pursue hospital specialization or private practice; (2) High patient-to-doctor ratios (>1:5,000 in many Yangon clinics); (3) Limited capacity for preventive care and chronic disease follow-up. Consequently, avoidable hospitalizations are high—especially among low-income groups in informal settlements like Mingaladon or Shwepyithar. This proposal asserts that the Doctor General Practitioner is not merely an option but a necessity for Yangon’s sustainable healthcare future, directly linking GP deployment to Myanmar’s UHC targets.

1. To assess current gaps in primary healthcare access in Yangon through patient and provider surveys across 15 public clinics.
2. To co-design a context-specific Doctor General Practitioner training module with Myanmar Medical Council (MMC) and Yangon University of Medicine.
3. To pilot the GP model in 3 selected townships, measuring impact on key metrics: consultation time, referral rates, patient adherence to treatment for NCDs.
4. To evaluate cost-effectiveness compared to current hospital-centric service delivery in Myanmar Yangon.

While global evidence supports GPs reducing healthcare costs and improving outcomes, Myanmar’s context demands adaptation. Studies from rural Shan State (Aung et al., 2021) show community health workers improve maternal care but lack clinical scope—highlighting the need for a GP-level role. In Yangon, a pilot study by Mercy Corps (2020) found 74% of patients with diabetes missed appointments due to clinic overcrowding and long waits. Crucially, Myanmar’s 2019 Health Reform Strategy explicitly identifies "strengthening primary care" as pivotal but lacks implementation pathways for Doctor General Practitioner roles. This thesis fills that gap by grounding its model in Yangon’s unique challenges: high population density, limited health IT infrastructure, and cultural preference for family-based care.

A mixed-methods approach will be employed over 18 months:

• Phase 1 (Months 1–4): Baseline assessment via structured interviews with 300 patients and 30 health workers across Yangon townships to map access barriers.
• Phase 2 (Months 5–9): Collaborative curriculum development with MMC, Yangon University, and local NGOs (e.g., Myanmar Medical Association) to create a GP certification program addressing Yangon’s top health issues (malaria, TB, NCDs).
• Phase 3 (Months 10–15): Implementation of the Doctor General Practitioner model in 3 clinics. GPs will conduct house calls for elderly patients and manage chronic conditions via monthly follow-ups.
• Phase 4 (Months 16–18): Quantitative analysis of referral rates, patient satisfaction (using validated Myanmar-language surveys), and cost data; qualitative focus groups to explore cultural acceptability.

This research transcends academic inquiry—it offers a replicable blueprint for transforming Yangon’s healthcare system. For policymakers, it provides evidence to advocate for national GP training programs. For communities in Myanmar Yangon, it promises shorter wait times and trusted local care providers who understand linguistic and cultural nuances (e.g., Buddhist healing practices). Crucially, the Doctor General Practitioner model directly supports Myanmar’s commitment to UHC by making healthcare "closer to home." Success here could catalyze similar initiatives in Mandalay or Naypyidaw, positioning Yangon as a national leader in innovative primary care. The thesis explicitly centers Myanmar Yangon’s reality: not as a case study but as the solution's testing ground.

We anticipate the Doctor General Practitioner model will reduce unnecessary hospital referrals by 35% in pilot sites, increase NCD management adherence by 40%, and improve patient satisfaction scores by 50%. The thesis will deliver: (1) A validated GP training curriculum endorsed by Myanmar’s Ministry of Health; (2) A cost-benefit analysis for scaling across Yangon; (3) Policy recommendations for integrating GPs into Myanmar’s National Health Insurance Scheme. Ultimately, this work positions the Doctor General Practitioner not as a foreign import but as a locally essential role—vital to ensuring healthcare equity in Myanmar Yangon.

The health of Yangon’s 8 million residents cannot wait for piecemeal solutions. This Thesis Proposal argues that embedding the Doctor General Practitioner within Myanmar’s primary care ecosystem is an urgent, practical, and culturally resonant strategy to alleviate Yangon’s healthcare crisis. By rigorously testing this model in real-world Yangon communities, this research will generate actionable evidence to transform how care is delivered—and who delivers it—in Myanmar's most critical urban center. The findings will not only advance academic discourse on global health but directly serve the people of Myanmar Yangon, where a single doctor’s presence can mean the difference between health and hardship.

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