Pregnant women, infants can’t get vaccination due to junta travel restrictions in Arakan State

By Admin 15 Dec 2023

DMG Newsroom
15 December 2023, Sittwe

Pregnant women and children under 2 years old in rural Arakan State cannot receive vaccinations as the regime has imposed travel restrictions amid its fighting with the Arakan Army (AA).

“There are pregnant women and children that need vaccinations this month. But we have no vaccines and therefore can’t vaccinate them. We have to take vaccines from the township health department. The township health department has to take them from the state health department. We can’t take vaccines due to travel restrictions,” a staffer at a rural health care centre in Mrauk-U Township told DMG.

Pregnant women and children in urban areas still have access to vaccinations. One doctor from Mrauk-U said: “We can only vaccinate people in areas that are accessible.”

Prenatal vaccination and vaccines for the first two years of a child’s life are particularly important in ensuring a healthy pregnancy and health growth for infants.

“I am eight months pregnant, but I have not yet received a single dose of vaccine,” said Ma Nandar Win from Zedi Taung displacement camp in Rathedaung Township.

Staff at rural health care centres can’t travel to towns to fetch vaccines because of fuel shortages and also oftentimes because it is not safe to travel.

“I am concerned that I will have difficulties giving birth due to travel restrictions. I am concerned that I might not be able to go to town if I need emergency healthcare services. I am very concerned because I had an abortion before. I want to have a pregnancy ultrasound, but I can’t go to town due to travel restrictions,” said Daw Phyo Phyo Nwe from Zedipyin Village in Rathedaung Township.

It has been more than one month since the regime blockaded Arakan State following its renewed fighting with the Arakan Army, and health care centres and pharmacies in rural Arakan State have almost run out of medicines. People across the state, and among both urban and rural populations, are also facing shortages of food, medicine and fuel.