IDP women struggle with pregnancies amid malnutrition and lack of access to health services

By Admin 20 Mar 2023

DMG Newsroom
20 March 2023, Sittwe

Some pregnant women in camps for internally displaced people (IDPs) in Arakan State are reportedly having difficulties giving birth due to malnutrition.

Malnutrition issues have arisen due to insufficient food supplies across multiple displacement camps in Arakan State. The consequences of malnutrition among pregnant women include higher rates of miscarriage, future infertility, and the birth of developmentally stunted or disabled children.

IDP women at the Ann Thar Gyi displacement camp in Minbya Township said that two women went to the hospital unable to give birth due to malnutrition, and up to four women suffered miscarriages and stillbirths.

“As the women live in the displacement camp, the living conditions are cramped and the food is poor. Some IDP women are unable to give birth and the children die. Some children born are disabled,” said Ma Than Aye, an IDP woman from Ann Thar Gyi displacement camp.

Pregnant women in displacement camps often cannot afford to give birth at health centres or consult with obstetricians and nurses.

Two women reportedly died after not being able to give birth and one woman miscarried in the Nyaungchaung displacement camp of Kyauktaw Township.

“Previously medical teams provided healthcare services to IDPs in displacement camps,” said U Kyaw Naing, an IDP from the Nyaungchaung camp whose wife died two months ago while giving birth. “Some IDP women have to give birth with the help of traditional midwives as they can’t afford to see doctors at private clinics. IDP women are not able to give birth to children due to lack of energy [caused by] not eating enough food.”

Access to parts of Arakan State also remains restricted for humanitarian aid organisations.

“When we went to provide healthcare services to IDP women in the displacement camps, we also gave the women contraceptives, but there were situations where we could not go to the displacement camps due to the political situation,” said an official from an unnamed international nongovernmental organisation. “We wanted to provide healthcare services to pregnant women who were due to give birth at full term, but we did not have the opportunity. Therefore, as organisations that are helping people who are in trouble, we want to have freedom of movement.”

DMG continues to attempt to contact officials from the Arakan State Health Department and Arakan State military council spokesman U Hla Thein to find out what arrangements are being made for malnourished children and pregnant women in Arakan State.