Food insecurity and nutrition issues have a major impact on the health of pregnant woman, nursing mothers and children in the Karen National Union controlled areas, due to the ongoing armed conflicts according to the Karen Women’s Organization.

These particular individuals are more vulnerable than other IDPs, as it is very difficult to get hold of nutritious food in the rainy season. Naw Eh Ta Mwee Paw, Joint Secretary 2 of the KWO commented,  “Some mothers cannot breast

feed their baby while the alternative of infant milk powders is usually unavailable. We are trying to provide for those mothers. and children, who are in emergency need of nutrition and baby milk formula.”

Although the KWO is working together with related agencies to provide help pregnant women, nursing mothers and children to get the required nutrition, it is still unable to implement an exclusive vaccination program for every child to cover each IDP camp in war zone, she added.

The exact number of women and children population among more than 600,000 IDPs in KNU controlled areas is not known yet, however it is obvious that the majority are women and children. There are also many pregnant women who delivered their children during the conflict.

“Based on the list of IDPs we have received, many pregnant women are among them, and some mothers had to deliver their children with help from local midwives while they were fleeing from the armed conflicts.” , a volunteer in an IDP camp Thandaung Gyi township explained.

He added that,” the initial number of IDPs in Thandaung Gyi township was over two thousand, who are still unable to return their homes  due to the attacks in the North of the township. The urgent need of medical supplies to support  pregnant women and nursing mothers is a major challenge.

The Junta’s restrictions on aid distribution in this region has also made the logistics of medical aid a major headache and aggravated  by the  arrests of health workers, according to the statement issued by the Karen Human Rights Groups(KHRG).