In the heart of Myanmar, in the delta of the Irrawaddy River, two extraordinary teams are doing outstanding medical work: the Swimming Doctors and the Irrawaddy River Doctors. Until now, two German foundations have looked after the ships independently of each other. Since fall 2024, Artemed Stiftung has been responsible for both medical ships. Stiftunglife from Celle, which founded the Swimming Doctors back in 2010, remains on board as a supporter of the project. Following the trip by Dr. Veronika Hofmann-Valet and Michael Kneis (AFM Managing Director) to Myanmarwe reported in October, we welcomed Jürgen Gessner, founder and CEO of Stiftunglife, as well as Jerzy Wilk and Naing Tun Aung from the Swimming Doctors in Tutzing to further develop the new connection.

The situation in the Irrawaddy Delta is currently highly dramatic: the state health system is increasingly collapsing, clinics are being closed, the local currency is rapidly depreciating, food prices - including rice as a staple food - have multiplied, fuel is becoming increasingly scarce and medicines are only available on the black market at extortionate prices. The two floating doctors' surgeries are the only functioning medical service for the people, most of whom live in poverty in the wide-ranging river areas of the Irrawaddy. They even provide professional dental care. Read in our current magazine how it all began with Cyclone Nargis, how the first rice freighters were quickly converted into floating clinics and what great cooperation has been established since then.