Border News Agency
Kyauktaw, July 14.
Displaced persons say that children living in areas controlled by the Arakan Army are in urgent need of emergency healthcare.
In War Taung displacement camp in Kyauktaw Township, over ten children have reportedly been infected with dengue fever and are in need of medical care, according to displaced families.
They added that the dengue outbreak in the War Taung camp has been ongoing since the second week of June.
At first, only one child was affected, but now the number has grown to over ten, which has raised serious concerns among displaced families.
The children suffering from the illness are between six and fourteen years old, and they come from townships including Sittwe, Ponnakyun, Kyaukphru, and Thandwe, according to the displaced people.
“The health sector has experienced two or three outbreaks of dengue fever already, and the disease is still ongoing. Currently, there are about over ten children affected,” said the War Taung displacement camp official, speaking to Border News Agency.
Among those children, Maung Lin Lin, age eight; Ma Htet Myat Lin, age nine; and Ma Hla Nwe Oo, age fourteen, have become seriously ill and are currently receiving emergency treatment in Mrauk-U Township, according to displaced families.
Additionally, other children still require medical care but have not yet been able to receive treatment due to their families’ difficulties in affording basic food and necessities, the displaced people say.
“We cannot afford to pay for clinic visits. If possible, we urgently need medical assistance and care. We want a healthcare team to come into the camp and provide treatment,” said a displaced person from War Taung camp, speaking to Border News Agency.
They say the dengue fever outbreak is caused by unclean water, inadequate shelter, poor food conditions, overcrowded living areas, and changing seasons.
At War Taung displacement camp, there are thirty-three displaced families from townships including Sittwe, Thandwe, and Ponnakyun, totaling 138 people living there.
Health workers say that to prevent such diseases from spreading, it is necessary to sleep under secure mosquito nets and take measures to avoid mosquito bites.
“Dengue fever causes internal bleeding and can lead to severe anemia. In the first and second stages, it is still treatable. However, once it reaches the third or fourth stage, treatment is no longer effective. Many people do not realize they have contracted the disease. If left untreated, it can become life-threatening,” said a former health worker, speaking to Border News Agency.
If there is any suspicion of having contracted the disease, it is important to undergo medical examination and receive treatment according to the stage of the illness.
Since the start of the decisive battles in Arakan, the Myanmar junta has blocked roads and waterways leading to the region, causing shortages of medicine and difficulties in obtaining emergency medical supplies, according to displaced people and local residents.
