Geneva: The World Health Organisation today said that the health system in cyclone-battered Myanmar was "back on its feet," but warned that disease risks remained.

"I think we were able to provide a response that helped the health system back on its feet," said WHO health cluster coordinator Rudi Coninx, who has just spent several weeks in the country.

The WHO said it had played a key role in a comprehensive impact assessment conducted by the UN, the regional ASEAN grouping and Myanmar's military government.

The military junta faced heavy criticism for several weeks after Cyclone Nargis first struck in early May for not allowing international aid workers full access to the country.

But the situation has now improved and "we have our teams with international staff going now everywhere," Coninx told journalists.

The WHO said that in the first week of June, it recorded some 685 cases of acute respiratory infections, 117 cases of bloody diarrhoea, 542 cases of acute diarrhoea, 337 cases of trauma or injuries, five cases of malaria and three of suspected dengue fever.

Dengue fever remains a particular concern and the WHO along with the Myanmar government and other health partners has drawn up a 766,000 dollar action plan for the next four months targeting around 8.5 million people.

The first priority of the plan is to target 2.5 million people living in 11 townships in Yangon division with the highest dengue case reporting rates.

Thereafter the plan will focus on 1.9 million people in Ayeyawaddy division, and then 3.9 million people in all other Yangon partnerships.

Source : PTI