[Myanmar] COVID-19 Recovery: Myanmar Needs to Move Towards Digital Transformation

Auteur : Upendranadh Choragudi

Production : Mizzima, news from Myanmar. Mizzima News est un organisme d’information multimédia birman. Il a été créé en août 1998 par un groupe de journalistes birmans en exil à New Delhi. L’International Press Institute a décerné à Mizzima News son prix Free Media Pioneer en 2007.

Diffusion : site de Mizzima News.

Date et heure : 13 juillet 2020.

As the COVID-19 pandemic forced lockdowns across the globe, there has been a dramatic increase in the use of digital technologies in various aspects of human life. Restrictions in mobility, closing of economic activities, social distancing norms, shutting down of education and health services, entertainment and mass gatherings have all led to people moving to digital platforms to stay connected with each other and engage in necessary economic and social activities. Contact tracing applications, e-permits, e-clinics, e-health bulletins, dashboards of data, cloud-based clinical data hosting, sharing and collaboration between public health researchers,  awareness building apps and chatbots have come to play a significant role during this pandemic period.  However, such a transition has not been smooth as many developing countries faced severe forms of digital inequality, especially in rural areas. Cities and young people have adopted to the digital world faster compared to those living in rural areas. ICT infrastructure is also a major constraint. For example in Myanmar over 50 per cent communities do not have access to ICTs. It is in this context, addressing challenges of e-governance, particularly in creating a digital interface between citizen and government. 

Source : Upendranadh Choragudi, “COVID-19 Recovery:  Myanmar Needs to Move Towards Digital Transformation”, Mizzima News, 13/07/2020. URL : http://www.mizzima.com/article/covid-19-recovery-myanmar-needs-move-towards-digital-transformation (consulté le 19/08/2020)

Photographie “à la une” : Myanmar people gather for refreshement at a teashop in Yangon many hangout to chat and browse facebook with their mobile phone. © Sai Aung Main/AFP