A severe diarrhea outbreak in two Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps in Pauktaw Township, Rakhine State, has claimed the lives of around 20 people, including children, mothers, and elderly individuals over the past month, according to local sources. The affected camps—Sin Tet Maw and Ah Nouk Yae—are home to thousands of Rohingya and Kaman Muslims.
Sin Tet Maw Camp, which houses around 3,000 IDPs, mostly from Kyauk Phyu Township, reported 19 deaths in September, with children making up the majority of the victims. Ah Nouk Yae Camp, sheltering 5,000 people, also suffered several fatalities.
Local reports state that 11 children under the age of 10, four children under 15, two people under 25, and three elderly individuals have succumbed to diarrhea-related illnesses in the Sin Tet Maw village, Sin Tet Maw Camp, Ah Nouk Yae village, and Ah Nouk Yae Camp during September and October.
Healthcare access is a critical issue in these camps, where residents are restricted from moving freely. To receive medical treatment, they must first obtain a recommendation letter from the Arakan Army (AA) and then travel to the hospital in Myaebon Township, a journey that costs between 500,000 and 700,000 Kyats. This cost is prohibitive for many camp residents.
Adding to the crisis, no humanitarian or healthcare organizations have provided assistance in Pauktaw Township for the past six months. Residents struggle to purchase even basic medicines like oral rehydration salts (ORS), which cost 5,000 Kyats per packet.
The situation in these camps highlights the broader challenges facing displaced communities in Myanmar, where limited healthcare access and lack of aid leave many vulnerable to preventable diseases.
