Approximately 1,000 displaced individuals in Thandwe Township, Arakan State, are experiencing skin conditions and desperately need medical aid.
A person assisting the displaced community informed Narinjara News that skin diseases have affected both adults and children since December 2024, impacting approximately a thousand individuals.
“While escaping the conflict, they found themselves in a densely populated setting. There were numerous individuals, and the clothing, blankets, and pillows were unclean. They needed soap for their personal cleanliness," he stated.
The displaced individuals are distributed throughout appropriate regions in Thandwe Township. They are residents of Thandwe, Gwa Township, and Kyeintali Town, with approximately 20,000 individuals residing in shelters.
He mentioned that although the displaced individuals are receiving food support, they urgently need medical help, as they can't obtain sufficient medicine.
Kids enjoy playing in the mud and often don’t clean themselves thoroughly when they bathe. Currently, the illness is spreading quickly. They are experiencing depression after having lived as displaced individuals for an extended period. When the disease initially emerged, there was no medication available. Currently, we are distributing 150-200 tubes of cream for itch relief, yet it remains insufficient. If this persists, the disease will propagate even more," he stated.
At present, the cost of itch relief cream has increased to approximately 8,000-9,000 kyats for each tube.
Clashes broke out between the Arakan Army (AA) and military forces in Thandwe Township at approximately 6:00 am on April 13 of the previous year.
Consequently, several Thandwe inhabitants fled to the mainland and other secure locations, while some found shelter in safer regions of Thandwe Township.
Beginning in November 2023, the junta has been methodically obstructing roads and waterways in Arakan State, hindering trade and communication and leading to hardship, famine, and a lack of medicine for the area's population.
