Some doctors in Arakan State joining CDM, say patients

By DMG 11 Mar 2021

DMG Newsroom
11 March 2021, Sittwe 

Doctors assigned to provide healthcare services in Arakan State have headed home, giving a variety of reasons including that patients were not punctual for appointments, patients said. 

Some are taking unpaid leave while others have taken annual leave, according to executives at Sittwe General Hospital. 

A patient who has been waiting for a week at Sittwe Hospital to undergo an operation on his leg told DMG that he believed some doctors in Arakan State are participating in the Civil Disobedience Movement. 

“Operations cannot be done for me because there is no doctor. The appointment is this week. However, I was told the doctor will arrive in the next two weeks when I asked when I will get a doctor. If I cannot get an operation in time, it is risky. I am in trouble. I don’t know if I should wait for the doctor or discharge from the hospital,” he said. 

“I cannot afford to go to the private hospitals. I came to the public hospital because I depend on it,” he added. 

Patients say they are facing difficulties because Sittwe Hospital does not have surgeons now and they are demanding that relevant authorities resolve the matter. 

DMG attempted to contact executives of the hospital seeking comment on why the hospital does not have doctors, but was unsuccessful. 

Two doctors and three healthcare personnel of Buthidaung General Hospital headed home on leave, an executive of the hospital told DMG. 

A general practitioner and three other doctors from Maungdaw General Hospital headed home on March 7, and 15 other healthcare personnel are planning to join the CDM on March 15. 

U Soe Aung, chair of the Maungdaw District Administration Council, said: “If the Health Department submits the issue to us, we can handle it. If people submit the issue, I will submit the case to the commander to solve it.” 

Thousands of healthcare personnel have walked off the job over recent weeks as part of the CDM against the military (SAC) government that seized power on February 1.