Diarrhoea blamed for three deaths at Ponnagyun displacement camp

By Admin 02 May 2024

DMG Newsroom
2 May 2024, Ponnagyun

Three people from Ahtet Myethle camp for internally displaced people (IDPs) in Ponnagyun Township, Arakan State, have died due to medicine shortages after suffering from diarrhoea, according to the camp manager.

Due to a scarcity of drinking water, some people are suffering from diarrhoea and there are even reports of deaths due to lack of medicine, said U Aung Myint, manager of the displacement camp.

“When they drank the unclean drinking water, they became sick and vomited. They lost their lives due to financial difficulties as they were unable to go to the clinic. All three died of the same disease,” he explained.

The three IDPs have been identified as U Maung Yon, 70, Daw Ngwe Khin, 64, and Ma Thandar Kyi, 17. They died within one to three days of the onset of diarrhoea from April 11 to 28.

Currently, there are about 20 people in the displacement camp suffering from diarrhoea, and they are in urgent need of healthcare services.

“IDPs are also prone to illness due to poor personal hygiene. They also have financial difficulties buying medicine. There are not enough latrines in the displacement camps. About 700 people use eight latrines,” said an IDP woman.

The regime has blocked roads to Arakan State, there is a shortage of medicine and no flow of goods, and the prices of basic foodstuffs and commodities are also rising, causing difficulties for locals.

A local man from Depipa Village, along the upper reaches of the Tawphyarchaung area, died due to medicine shortages last month.