Due to a blockade by the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) and people’s defence forces (PDFs) medicine to treat a spike in malaria cases in Banmauk Township, Sagaing Region is in short supply.

Villages in the western part of Mansi Sub-township in Banmauk Township have experienced a surge in malaria cases now that the rainy season has started, but they have insufficient medicine to treat people.

A malaria patient from Shwetawmhaw Village in Mansi Sub-township said: “There’s a shortage of medicine at both the clinics in Minkone Village and the hospital in Mansi. All they can really do for malaria patients is help bring down the fever or give them painkillers. They don’t even have the basic oral medicines that are usually needed.”

Malaria cases have been on the rise in Banmauk Township since late April. Since then, procuring malaria medication has been difficult, and patients have been treated using improvised methods based on the severity of their condition, according to the head of the Mansi Subtownship Health Department.

The reason for the medicine shortage is because a coalition of KIA and PDF forces have blockaded transport routes into Banmauk Township since late February 2025.

Currently, in Banmauk Township there is ongoing fighting between the junta-aligned Shanni Nationalities Army (SNA) and anti-junta PDF forces sometimes assisted by the KIA. The township is under mixed control with the junta controlling Banmauk Town and running the town’s administration, the SNA controlling the areas around the town and the PDF and KIA controlling the rest of the township.

The junta's Ministry of Health claimed that it has medicine available to deliver to Banmauk Township but that due to transportation difficulties it has been impossible to get it to Banmauk Township.

The current malaria outbreak in Banmauk is caused by the Plasmodium vivax (PV) strain, which typically produces milder symptoms and affects individuals of all ages, from children to the elderly.