Several children in Shan State IDP camp suffer from diarrhoea due to drinking water shortage

By Admin 02 Mar 2023

DMG Newsroom
2 March 2023, Pekhon, southern Shan State

More than 20 children in a camp for internally displaced people (IDPs) in Bubyar Village of Pekhon Township, southern Shan State, are suffering from diarrhoea due to a drinking water shortage and unclean water.

An official from the Mobye Rescue Team said that since February, children have been suffering from diarrhoea due to the lack of clean drinking water in the displacement camp.

“We are treating them with the medicine we have,” he added.

The IDP children suffering from diarrhoea are under the age of 5, and a 7-month-old infant reportedly died due to the severity of the illness.

The ponds in the displacement camps in Pekhon Township have dried up and it is difficult to get drinking water, according to aid workers.

Relief workers assisting Karenni IDPs said that although the Karenni IDP Assistance Network and donors have provided medicines to the IDPs, there are still healthcare needs.

“As IDP assistance organisations and donors have provided medicines, some IDPs have recovered from their illnesses, but they need more medicines,” one relief worker said.

The IDP camp in Bubyar Village is home to more than 300 people from 51 households, and among the IDPs are about 80 children, according to the Karenni IDP Assistance Network.

IDPs in Moebye Township, Shan State, bordering Kayah (Karenni) State, suffer from frequent bouts of diarrhoea due to lack of drinking water and insufficient access to proper healthcare.

In Myanmar, “over 3 million children are facing a dire situation as they continue to live without access to clean water at home, putting their health at risk,” UNICEF Myanmar tweeted on February 3 as part of a #GenerationInPeril campaign highlighting the challenges faced by young people in Myanmar.