Myanmar: Five things to know about the humanitarian crisis in Northern Rakhine

What are the current healthcare options for communities in northern Rakhine?

We have been able to run mobile clinics since the conflict started, and already these communities we were assisting were vulnerable because of the lack of access to safe healthcare. We tried to provide a few months’ worth of medications to our own patients who are taking diabetes or hypertension drugs.

We have also supported with tele-consultations, which we have tried to maintain to support people who need mental healthcare. But this unfortunately could not last for more than a few weeks, as since 10 January, Buthidaung and Maungdaw have not had any electricity and with no electricity there was also no cell coverage.

The latest blow for people has been the closing of Maungdaw and Buthidaung township hospitals. These two township hospitals were the only healthcare stakeholder left with whom we could work with and refer emergency patients to. This has had a huge impact on communities here. If the township hospitals are closed, where do people go?

With hospitals shut, people reach out to MSF and healthcare organisations on the ground to support them, but we have had limited capacity in terms of resources. We do usually stock up for a minimum of four to five months, but those stocks have not lasted very long. We still don’t have any way to bring in our supplies. Staff have also not been feeling safe working in Maungdaw, Buthidaung and Rathedaung.

Day to day activities are becoming more difficult. We need fuel to run an office so we can have internet and be connected to the rest of our team. It has really affected us that we are not able to serve the community we are there for.

I am fortunate I had the opportunity to leave the violence, but many don’t have the opportunity to even move. I really feel for them. That thought really consumes me.