By Jar Seng / MPA
Reports from local residents indicate that people suffering from HIV, tuberculosis (TB), and malaria across the Yoe Chaung region in Kyauktaw Township, Rakhine State, are facing medication shortages, leading to a significant number of deaths.
Following the outbreak of armed conflict between the Arakan Army (AA) and the State Administration Council (SAC) Army on 13 November 2023, trade routes across Rakhine State were cut off. This has resulted in severe shortages of medicine.
Since the start of the clashes, SAC Army has imposed restrictions on both waterway and land transport routes to and from Rakhine State, further worsening the situation day by day, according to local sources.
“In truth, even if someone catches a common cold, we cannot find any medicine. The drugs that are available are ten times more expensive than before. Since we no longer have any income, some of us have resorted to using herbal remedies,” said a resident of the Yoe Chaung area.
According to locals, TB cases are more prevalent than malaria in the area, and the rate of transmission is high. Furthermore, due to the absence of healthcare workers and non-governmental organizations (NGOs), there is no access to proper healthcare or medical assistance.
Additionally, it has been reported that the number of TB patients in the Yoe Chaung area has increased from around 20 to approximately 30, with infections continuing to spread. The number of individuals infected with HIV has also risen.
“It has been a while since we started seeing cases of TB and HIV, but there is no equipment to test for them. Due to the lack of medical instruments, it is impossible to monitor people’s health properly. Only when symptoms become severe due to a weakened immune system do we become aware of the illness,” said a resident from Kyainchaung village, Kyauktaw Township.
To go to Yoe Chaung region, firstly it took an hour’s drive from Kyauktaw Town and then travel via motorboat. The current fee for the round trip by boat is approximately 20,000 kyats per person.
The Yoe Chaung region encompasses more than 12 villages, including Panyawa, Ngaswe, Lamukaing, Pache, Karyuhtauk, Phatwan Chaung, Ngepyaw Chaung, Minkhon Chaung, Thanchuang, Shwepan Kaing, Kyainchaung, and Taungming Kala, with a total population of around 5,000 people. The primary occupations in the area are agriculture and farming.
“There are some people who can provide basic medical treatment, but they do not have the necessary medical equipment. The drugs that are available are extremely expensive. What used to cost around 4,000 or 5,000 kyats now costs between 50,000 and 80,000 kyats. Those who cannot afford it are relying on herbal medicine. For serious illnesses, traveling to Kyauktaw for treatment costs at least 80,000 to 100,000 kyats, excluding travel expenses,” said a resident of Taungming Kala village.
Furthermore, due to financial difficulties, the residents of Yoe Chaung cannot afford nutritious food, resulting in increased mortality among those suffering from chronic illnesses, according to local sources.
“My mother passed away about a week ago. She had TB. Healthcare workers used to come and check her condition, providing sweat and sputum tests as well as medication before. It has been a long time since she last took her medicine, and I think her immune system has deteriorated,” said a 47-year-old resident from Lamukaing village, who lost his mother.
Similarly, four people, including a child, have died in villages such as Myauktaung, Thazi, Marla, Tinma, and Pyaungdine, in the upper parts of the Kulatan River, due to financial difficulties, drug shortages, and the lack of healthcare services.
Due to financial hardships, unemployment, and the scarcity of medicines, many young people in Kyauktaw Township are migrating to foreign countries for work to support their families.
In January 2024, the AA seized control of the SAC Army’s no.539 Infantry Battalion, based in the Yoe Chaung region.
Since July 2024, heavy rainfall in northern Rakhine State has caused flooding, damaging houses, livestock, farmland, and consumer goods. The residents continue to face the challenges of disrupted healthcare services, medicine shortages, and skyrocketing commodity prices.
