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Sittwe hospital grapples with staff shortage due to war-induced exodus

March 27/ 2024 | View Counts :1181
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Due to the ongoing military situation, a significant number of staff have leftSittwe general hospital, leading to a shortage of staff at the hospital.


A female staff member, who preferred not to be named, mentioned that Sittwehospital previously had over 300 doctors and nurses. However, the current counthas dwindled to only 40, making it difficult to deliver healthcare services topatients.

 

"Currently, Sittwe only has assistant doctors andnurses. There are no senior doctors left at the hospital. They are working 24hours a day, due to the shortage of staff. Private patient care is no longerpossible," she added.

 

With only 40 staff working around the clock, theycannot offer proper care and treatment to the  patients.


As fighting continues in various parts of  Rakhine State, the districtsand townships where the junta's headquarters and military bases are located,are being captured one after another by the Arakan Army (AA) fighters. There isfear that the fighting will also spread to Sittwe, leading many governmentemployees, including health workers, to flee to safer places.


"Not only the health workers in Sittwe, but also other employees in otherdepartments are no longer coming to work. Many  people are also fleeingfrom Yangon and other localities.

Since artillery shells fell in Sittwe and many people died,the residents are in fear and many  left the town," said a femaleemployee of a pharmacy.

 

Ma Hnin Nwe, a resident of Sittwe, voiced concernsabout the shortage of health workers.

 

"There were casualties due to artillery shellsfalling in Sittwe. The town is currently peaceful, but we are worried about thecoming days. If something happens, we have to be concerned about medicaltreatment. It's not like before, as there is a shortage of doctors andmedicines," she added.

 

Narinjara News tried to reach the Rakhine Statemilitary junta spokesperson U Hla Thein and Sittwe general hospital in-chargeregarding the staff shortage due to the departure of a significant number ofemployees, but no response was found.


Furthermore, a former Pyithu Hluttaw representative of Kyaukphyu township notedthat Kyaukphyu and Thandwe hospitals are also facing the staff shortage.

 

"In Thandwe and Kyaukphyu, some doctors fled toYangon and  some were transferred. Some alsomtook leave and they did notreturn to work. In Kyaukphyu, specialized  doctors for  ear, nose,throat, children, etc are not available. Many junior staff also left theirjobs. The staff scarcity is observed in  Thandwe also," he said.

 

After the AA fighters captured Pauktaw, Rathedaung andPonnagyun townships in Sittwe district, many government employees including health workers and permanent residents fled in fear of potential conflictspreading to Sittwe.

 

The government employees, including health workers, inAnn, Kyaukphyu, Thandwe, and Taungup townships also start fleeing to saferlocations following the capture of Ramree township.

 

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