Saw Shin May, Narinjara News, 24 February 2025 

The Gwa Township IDP Assistance Joint Team has indicated that 3,797 individuals, including internally displaced persons (IDPs), are experiencing skin diseases in Gwa Township, Arakan State. 

These statistics, published on February 23, were collected via a field survey carried out by the Gwa Township IDP Assistance Joint Team in collaboration with local health officials. 

Of those impacted, 1,791 are male, while 2,006 are female. 

The group consists of 600 children below the age of 10, 601 teenagers aged from 10 to 18, and 2,596 adults older than 18. 

The statement reports that 12 villages, such as those in Kyeintali Town, Satthwa sub-township, and Kular Pyin sub-township, have been facing an outbreak of a skin disease since December 2024, impacting children and adults alike. 

Ko Naing Aung Lin, the information officer for the Gwa Township IDP Assistance Joint Team, told Narinjara News, “The rise in skin ailments is attributed to the scarcity of medications and their elevated costs, in addition to the reliance on traditional remedies. We require substantial medical assistance immediately." 

Individuals suffering from skin conditions require assistance, since the expense for oral and topical treatments over a 5-day period, as recommended by healthcare professionals, totals roughly 20,000 kyats for each individual. 

Ko Naing Aung Lin also noted that the current lack of medicines, coupled with their elevated costs, is hindering efforts to deliver adequate support.

"We are encountering challenges in handling and utilizing the donations we've received from contributors. We still do not have necessary medical supplies," he stated. 

In Gwa Township, around 1,500 IDPs reside, primarily originating from Gwa Town and nearby regions. These people have not been able to go back to their residences because of concerns about airstrikes from the military junta. 

Residents think the ongoing skin disease epidemic is connected to the junta's airstrikes and artillery bombardments, which have led to gunpowder tainting the local water supply. Consequently, individuals are suffering from skin irritation and various health issues due to ingesting the contaminated water. 

Besides Gwa Township, both IDPs and residents in the Thandwe and Ponnagyun townships are experiencing skin ailments. Because of financial challenges, they cannot pay for the required medical care.