Junta blockades blamed for medicine shortages in Arakan State

By Admin 31 May 2024

DMG Newsroom
31 May 2024, Sittwe

Medicine shortages have been reported in Arakan State and medicine prices are skyrocketing due to ongoing junta blockades of land and water routes, according to the health community and locals.

“Pharmacies have run out of medicine and the prices for medicine stocks are skyrocketing due to the junta blockades. They have run out of medicine such as Paracard, Biogesic, Cetirizine and Enervon-C,” said one pharmacy shop owner.

“We sell one pill of Enervon-C for K3,000. The price for one pill of Enervon-C was K500 in the past. We cannot buy medicines due to the junta blockades. We currently import medicine from India,” said a pharmacy shop owner in Kyauktaw.

Before the latest fighting in Arakan State, the price for one card of anti-hypertensive drug was K1,500, one pill of Enervon-C was K500, one card of Paracetamol was K500 and one card of Biogesic was K700. These days, the price for one card of anti-hypertensive drug rose to K5,500, the price for one pill of Enervon-C increased to K3,000, the price for one card of Paracetamol soared to K2,000 and the price for one card of Biogesic climbed to K3,000.

“The rise in medicine prices is attributed to the junta blockades. I will give you an example: If one pill of medicine costs K1,000 in Kyauktaw, the price increases to K3,000 in Minbya due to transportation charges. Both the pharmacy shop owners and buyers have difficulties as the prices of gasoline have not yet declined,” said a healthcare worker in Minbya.

Local people in Arakan State have been suffering from shortages of both medicines and food since the junta implemented its land and water blockades.

Adding to supply shortages, Indian has halted the export of goods to Paletwa Township in neighbouring Chin State since the second week of April.

Many local and international organisations and civil society organisations have halted operations due to the junta’s restrictions since the latest hostilities between the military and Arakkha Army (AA) began on November 13.