Narinjara News, 28 June 2024

The residents of Arakan (Rakhine) State experience severemedicine shortage and subsequent escalating prices following the militaryjunta’s continued road blockade for many months.

"The medicines from the mainland are not arrivingand hence it becomes scarce. Now the medicines are sold at 3 to 6 times higherprices. We are receiving a very limited volume of medicines from India,” said apharmacy owner in Kyauktaw.

Since 13 November, when the fighting between the Arakan Army (AA) and junta forcesbroke out, the junta blocked all roads connecting to the mainland.As a result, Arakan is experiencingshortages of household items along with medicines.

"All medicines become expensive now. Vitrometa 10pills now cost Kyats 7,000, OBIMIN 4 pills 5,000 and Folic acid 1,000 perbottle. With limited job opportunities, the residents are experiencing highcommodity and medicine prices now,” said a pregnant woman from Mrauk-Utownship.

While the common Arakanese are consuming medicines ata higher price, many travel to neighbouring countries like India and Bangladeshto procure medicines at a very high rate.

Female residents are experiencing deteriorated healthconditions because essential medicines have gone missing from the localpharmacies or those are sold at high prices.  

In the Arakanese townships, which are controlled bythe AA, and those areas witnessing gun fighting, the supply of medicines becomeirregular and often selling with higher prices have put the residents in adifficult situation.