The Myittar Yeik Clinic, operated by Doctors Without Borders (MSF) in Tanintharyi Region’s Dawei City, is struggling to remain open after the junta arrested some of its doctors.

In late May, the MSF Dawei logistics officer was detained and in early June the senior MSF doctor and his deputy were also detained.

This caused many of the remaining Myittar Yeik Clinic staff to flee meaning that there are now no longer enough remaining staff for the clinic to function normally and there is a serious risk it might have to shut down, according to an MSF staff member working at the clinic.

They said: “The clinic's officials have been arrested, and others are fleeing out of fear. Right now, some operations of the clinic including medicine distribution, have been suspended. Once the stockpiled medicines run out, the clinic will likely shut down completely.”

As of 10 June the MSF logistics officer and the senior doctor were still detained. The senior doctor’s deputy had been released but he still has to attend the junta’s interrogation centre nearly every day for questioning.

The detention of the MSF staff and doctors was apparently because MSF had employed two doctors who were participating in the anti-junta Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM) where civil servants such as doctors, nurses, teachers and administrators pledge not to work for the junta, according to local media outlet Dawei Watch.

The Myittar Yeik Clinic was originally opened to distribute ART medication for HIV treatment and it later expanded its services to include general patient care. It provides general medical care to over 100 patients every day and also treats and provides medicine to about 4,000 patients with chronic diseases such as high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, and hyperglycaemia.

If the clinic is forced to completely shut down due to a lack of staff, or for any other reason, all those patients could face severe health issues and even possibly death.