A hospital in southern Chin State is struggling to provide enough oxygen for its patients suffering from COVID-19.

With only three hours of electricity available every day, Dr. Khine Win said the rest of the time they have to use their own generator to keep their five patients alive in Paletwa.

Kyaw Kyaw Thee, in charge of the electricity department for Paletwa Township, said that until August 6, four hours of electricity were available every day.

“We have two generators for Paletwa town. After the outbreak happened, we have to provide electricity to quarantine centers and the hospital. At the same time, residents are using more electricity in their homes.”

Paletwa Township isn't hooked up to the national power grid. Instead, power for the entire town, only available from 6 pm to 10 pm, is provided by 500KV and 300KV generators.

A Paletwa resident said no one has solar panels. “It's difficult to use an electronic cooking pot or a computer because we do not have enough electricity in our town,” he said, explaining when the power shuts off it's dark in people's homes at night.

Besides Paletwa, among the other nine townships in Chin State, Tedim and Tongzan are also off the grid.