Mrauk-U hospital bombing deepens healthcare crisis in Rakhine State
After the Myanmar Air Force carried out airstrikes on the People’s Hospital in Mrauk-U Township, Arakan State, other hospitals are no longer able to operate openly for fear of being targeted, forcing them to relocate or operate as mobile units, making it increasingly difficult for Mrauk-U residents to access healthcare.
The inability to operate hospitals in proper locations, combined with a land and sea blockade by the military since the Arakan Army (AA) launched its offensive in November 2023, has compounded the crisis with hospitals unable to receive a sufficient amount of medicines. This poses serious challenges for residents in need of emergency treatment.
“After the bombing of Mrauk-U Hospital, getting healthcare has become really tough. This hospital was a major medical center that the people of Arakan depended on. Because Mrauk-U is easy to reach, many patients relied on it. But after the airstrike, accessing care has become much more difficult for everyone,” a Rathedaung Township resident told Development Media Group (DMG) on the condition of anonymity.
The AA has called on international and humanitarian organizations to donate as much medicine and medical equipment as possible to help patients following the regime airstrikes on Mrauk-U Hospital on Dec. 10. Mrauk-U was seized by the AA on Feb. 8, 2024.
The AA’s political wing, the United League of Arakan (ULA), stated that the regime airstrikes on Mrauk-U Hospital completely halted all healthcare services, causing severe hardship and even deaths due to lack of emergency medical care.
“Getting treatment elsewhere is really hard because transportation is difficult and expensive. Living and food costs are also high. Some patients just can’t afford to get the medical care they need,” the Rathedaung resident told DMG.
Other hospitals in Arakan State are no longer able to operate in fixed locations, and some have closed entirely over security concerns. At least 33 people were killed and around 80 were injured in the airstrikes.
The U.N. stated that it was deeply alarmed by the attack on the Mrauk-U Hospital. It called on all parties to “observe obligations under international humanitarian and international human rights law,” while highlighting the fact that Arakan is in need of a large humanitarian response.
The ASEAN Parliamentarians for Human Rights (APHR) accused the regime of committing a war crime by attacking a hospital. Under international law, the targeting of civilian infrastructure like hospitals is considered a crime.
“The hospital bombing is really devastating and has made life very hard for the people of Arakan. Health is so important, but now there’s no hospital to rely on. Health issues can happen anytime, some people might have minor illnesses, and others could be emergency cases. But now, even if people are sick, they don’t dare go to clinics or hospitals because they’re afraid of airstrikes,” a Mrauk-U resident told DMG.
Residents across Arakan, living in the 14 townships under AA control, are constantly in fear of regime airstrikes as Naypyidaw has its sights set on getting the third and final member of the Brotherhood Alliance to the negotiating table in China to broker a ceasefire, as it has already done with the Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) in October and the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA) in January.
The AA and residents claimed that the regime is deliberately targeting civilians at public gathering places, hospitals, clinics, schools, and markets.
It added that 192 civilians have been killed, 502 others have been injured, and 596 homes have been destroyed by 92 regime airstrikes on Sittwe, Pauktaw, Rathedaung, Ponnagyun, Kyauktaw, Minbya, Mrauk-U, Ann, Taungup, Ramree, Kyaukphyu, Gwa townships in Arakan, as well as Paletwa Township in southern Chinland, which was seized by the AA in 2024, over the last year.
At least 1,724 civilians have been killed and 3861 others have been injured in 1,852 aerial attacks carried out by the regime’s Air Force since the earthquake on March 28, according to DVB data.
BNI
