Lack of medicines lead to death for ailing Arakanese patients, pregnant women

Kyaing Hein Lin

Narinjara News, 20 May 2024

The restriction in transporting essential goods and medicines to Arakan (Rakhine) State by the military junta has created numerous difficulties for the residents, where the lack of medical supplies even leads to fatalities among patients of chronic illnesses and pregnant women.

"Recently, an elderly person with chronic illness died at a refugee camp. At the same time, a displaced woman died due to liver diseases, as there was no medicine for her treatment. A pregnant woman with systemic lupus erythematosus also lost her life because of no medication in need,” said a social worker based in Pauktaw.

He stated that these fatalities took place in Pauktaw town and similar deaths might have occurred in other localities as well.

On 16 May, a pregnant woman from Kyauktaw also passed away due to coronary artery diseases.

Lack of medicines has prevented many people in IDP camps from taking necessary care in the Arakan region. Now many are suffering from diarrhoea and skin diseases due to extreme heat and scarcity of clean water.

In Ann, the fighting between the junta forces and ArakanArmy (AA) fighters is going on and amid the conflict many elderly residents died due to the extreme heat.

An Arakanese doctor advised local people to reduce their alcohol consumption and to take extra precautions for their health during the hot days.

In regions under the control of AA, the healthcare personnel continue providing medical care to the people. But the hospitals are being targeted by the junta soldiers and hence people are deprived of much needed treatment for serious ailments.

On 15 May, the junta soldiers carried out airstrikes on Wea Gyi Daunt cottage hospital in Kyauktaw using a jet fighter. It resulted in complete destruction of the hospital and caused injuries to 20 individuals including medical staff, patients and caretakers.