Blocking Aid in Myanmar Is a Deadly Humanitarian Crisis
Since the resumption of conflict in Myanmar’s Rakhine state
on November 13, 2023, disruptions in basic services and blockages of supply
routes have created severe challenges for the local population. Access to
essentials such as food, healthcare, and safe shelter has become increasingly
difficult, exacerbating an already dire humanitarian crisis.
This recent escalation in violence is being described by
local staff as the worst since 2017, when a brutal crackdown forced hundreds of
thousands of Rohingya Muslims to flee to Bangladesh. The renewed conflict has
devastated infrastructure, including homes, schools, and healthcare facilities,
making the situation even more critical. The scarcity of fuel, electricity, and
phone connections further isolates people, reducing their ability to seek help.
All communities in Rakhine are affected, but the situation
is particularly dire for the Rohingya, who face increasing pressure from armed
groups. Rohingya men are being coerced to join the fighting, while their
communities are forced to protest against opposing factions. Humanitarian
organizations, including Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), struggle to respond
amidst these challenges.
MSF, which has provided medical assistance in Rakhine since
1994, has seen its operations severely hampered. The organization’s medical programs,
which address diseases such as malaria, HIV/TB, and diabetes, as well as
maternal and child healthcare, have been significantly constrained. Travel
authorizations, critical for running humanitarian activities, were revoked with
the latest conflict, forcing the closure of most MSF clinics.
The impact has been devastating. Outpatient consultations
plummeted from 6,696 in September 2023 to just 236 in April 2024. Emergency
referrals, often life-saving, have also drastically decreased. In October 2023,
MSF referred 264 patients in need of emergency care to hospitals, but by March
2024, this number had fallen to just 28 due to the lack of authorization and
functioning hospitals.
Essential medical supplies are not reaching those in need.
Transportation of people and supplies within Rakhine is extremely challenging,
leading to shortages of crucial medications, including antibiotics and drugs
for chronic conditions. Medical supplies that could potentially aid wounded
soldiers are banned, exacerbating the scarcity.
The intensity of the conflict has made it nearly impossible
for humanitarian organizations to operate. MSF’s facilities have been directly
affected by the violence; their office and pharmacy in Buthidaung were
destroyed in April 2024. Public healthcare options are rapidly diminishing,
with many hospitals damaged or non-operational.
The crisis has increased the demand for humanitarian
assistance across Rakhine. In Pauktaw, the disruption of MSF activities has had
severe consequences. Pregnant women can no longer access emergency care,
leading to preventable deaths. The inability to carry out health assessments
has also hampered efforts to prevent and treat disease outbreaks, such as acute
watery diarrhea (AWD), which typically surges at the end of the dry season.
Movement restrictions imposed on the Rohingya are now
affecting all communities. The Rohingya, already stripped of their citizenship
and fundamental rights, face additional dangers from forced recruitment by both
the Myanmar military and armed groups.
MSF has been unable to conduct regular mobile clinics for
over six months. Attempts to support local hospitals have been thwarted as
these facilities run out of essential supplies. The near-total absence of
humanitarian assistance in Rakhine is pushing the population towards a breaking
point.
The forced closure of health facilities and denial of access
to health care must end. Depoliticizing healthcare is essential. All parties in
the conflict must allow healthcare structures to operate and ensure people can
access these facilities. Transporting essential drugs across townships is
crucial to saving lives and responding to emergencies. Ensuring these measures
are implemented is vital to mitigating the humanitarian catastrophe unfolding
in Myanmar.
