More doctors, nurses arrive in Sittwe, epicentre of COVID-19 outbreak

By Kyaw Chit 26 Aug 2020

Kyaw Chit | DMG
26 August, Sittwe 

Twenty-two more doctors and nurses temporarily assisting medical staff at Sittwe General Hospital arrived in the Arakan State capital on August 25, according to the Ministry of Health and Sports.  

They arrived at Sittwe Airport on a special Myanmar National Airlines flight carrying medicines and medical equipment to bolster efforts to combat an ongoing COVID-19 outbreak in Arakan State, the ministry said.  

A total of 24 doctors and nurses lending their expertise to the fight also arrived in Sittwe on August 23. 

“We wanted to help the medical team when they are exhausted and have an added workload. So, we came to help them here,” said Dr. Aung Naing Lin, one of the doctors flown in to temporarily staff Sittwe General Hospital.

From August 16-26, 179 coronavirus cases were reported in Arakan State, with the majority of cases, 114, in Sittwe Township. 

Healthcare staff providing treatment to COVID-19 patients have been among the infections. 

“When medical staff are infected, the number of our force is smaller and causes short-handedness. All are concerned about being infected,” said Dr. Kyaw Min Thar. 

Dr. Soe Win Paing, assistant director of the Arakan State Department of Public Health, told DMG on August 24 that the department had invited medical professionals from outside the state to join in the fight to contain and treat COVID-19.