The military has detained some healthcare workers, accusing them of treating sick and wounded rebels Credit: HANDOUT/Free Burma Rangers/AFP via Getty Images
Mizzima
36 health workers were killed and health facilities were damaged 140 times in at least 387 attacks on Myanmar’s healthcare system during 2023.
The figures were recorded by the monitoring group Insecurity Insight. It said that such attacks undermine healthcare providers ’ability to effectively meet patient needs, maintain safe staffing levels and impact the population’s access to healthcare.
Insecurity Insight also recorded the following attacks on the healthcare system in Myanmar from 27 December 2023 to 6 January 2024:
27 December 2023: In Sa Mee village and village tract, Paletwa township and district, Chin state, a station hospital (primary-level, public) occupied by the Myanmar military was attacked by Chinland Defense Force. Source: Ayeyarwaddy Times.
28 December 2023: In Myaung Bway village and village tract, Mrauk-U township and district, Rakhine state, a station hospital (primary-level, public) and a high school were used as bunkers by the Myanmar military during the armed clashes between the military and Arakan Army. Source: Irrawaddy.
02 January 2024: In Myaing town and township, Pakokku district, Magway region, at least 20 Myanmar military soldiers were stationed at a township hospital (secondary-level, public) and 40 at a school. Sources: Mizzima and Myanmar Pressphoto Agency.
02 January 2024: In Salingyi town and township, Yinmabin district, Sagaing region, a township hospital (secondary-level, public) and a police station occupied by the Myanmar military were attacked by the local resistance forces. There was an exchange of gunfire and artillery shelling between the Myanmar military at the hospital and local resistance forces. Source: Myanmar Pressphoto Agency.
02 January 2024: In Minbya town and township, Mrauk-U district, the staff house of a township hospital (secondary-level, public), a high school, shops in the market, houses, and buildings at a jetty were damaged by Myanmar military artillery shelling. Source: Development Media Group.
03 January 2024: In Tha Pyay Shaung village and village tract, Launglon township, Dawei district, Tanintharyi region, a private pharmacy owner was arrested by the Myanmar military and his house torched. Source: Dawei Watch.
03 January 2024: In Kaing Pyin village and village tract, Sagaing township, district, and region, a building of a sub-rural health centre (primary-level, public) was damaged by bombs dropped from armed drones used by the Myanmar military. Source: People’s Spring.
As reported on 03 January 2024: In Ramree town and township, Kyaukpyu district, Rakhine state, a township hospital (secondary-level, public) was occupied by the Myanmar military. Source: Delta News Agency.
04 January 2024: In Yinmabin town, township, and district, Sagaing region, a township hospital (secondary-level, public) and a police station occupied by the Myanmar military were attacked with artillery fires by the local resistance forces. About 30 junta soldiers were stationed at the hospital and about 20 at the police station. Sources: Khit Thit Media and Myanmar Pressphoto Agency.
04 January 2024: In Paletwa town, township, and district, Chin state, a township hospital (secondary-level, public) was closed down as doctors had fled from the hospital due to the heightened armed clashes between the Myanmar military and ethnic armed groups. Sources: Democratic Voice of Burma and Zalen.
04 January 2024: In Kutkai town, township, and district, Shan state (North), health care and at least a hundred patients from a township hospital (secondary-level, public) were relocated to a station hospital (primary-level, public) in Kutkai township due to the heightened armed clashes between the Myanmar military and a joint force of three ethnic armed groups. Sources: Burma News International and Shan News.
04 January 2024: In Lashio town, township, and district, Shan state (North), UN/INGOs left the town due to the heightened armed clashes between the Myanmar military and ethnic armed organisations in this area. This resulted in disruption of aid delivery in this area, including health care. Sources: Chindwin News Agency and Shwe Phee Myay News Agency.
05 January 2024: In Hopang town, township, and district, Wa self-administrative zone, Shan state (North), a township hospital (secondary-level, public), a general administrative office, and a police station were attacked and then occupied by an alliance of four ethnic armed groups and later taken over by the ethnic armed group United Wa State Army after armed clashes between the Myanmar military and the four armed groups (the Arakan Army, Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army, and the Ta’ang National Liberation Army, and Bamar People’s Liberation Army). Sources: Khit Thit Media, Khit Thit Media I and Than Lwin Times.
05 January 2024: In Tha Win Chaung village and village tract, Pauktaw township, Sittwe district, Rakhine state, a 30-year-old patient with fragment wounds due to artillery shelling in her home village was denied travel to and health care access at a public hospital in Sittwe town by the junta police. The patient had to return to her village in Pauktaw township. Source: Narinjara.
06 January 2024: At a jetty in Sittwe town, township, and district, Rakhine state, three LNGO workers were arrested by the junta police while they were transporting a female patient in labour from the jetty to Sittwe state hospital in an ambulance. The female patient was sent to the hospital without being harmed. After investigation, two LNGO workers were released but the ambulance driver and ambulance were detained. Source: Radio Free Asia.
As reported on 09 January 2024: In Loikaw town, township, and district, Kayah state, a hospital (tertiary-level, public), and staff houses of nurses, midwives, and doctors were occupied by the Myanmar military. There have been heightened armed clashes between the Myanmar military and a joint force of ethnic armed groups and local resistance forces in this town since early November 2023 in the attempt of the latter group to take over the town. Source: BBC Burmese.
