According to organizations assisting political prisoners, individuals who have been jailed across Myanmar, including political detainees, are being denied adequate medical care and are routinely treated with expired medications.

Following the military coup in 2021, prison healthcare conditions have severely deteriorated, said Ko Thike Tun Oo, a member of the leadership committee of the Political Prisoners Network – Myanmar (PPNM). He noted that the growing number of inmates far exceeds the capacities of available medical staff, and those in urgent need of care are often barred from accessing external hospitals.

“There’s a serious shortage of medicine inside prisons. Since the coup, inmate numbers have surged, but the number of doctors has not kept pace. In emergency situations, prisoners aren’t allowed to be transferred to outside clinics or hospitals, leading to preventable deaths and worsening health. Even in central prisons, there are only about three to five doctors, far fewer than required. In smaller or rural prisons, there are often no doctors at all,” he explained.

Women’s Organization of Political Prisoners (WOPP) spokesperson Ma Zu Zu May Yon confirmed that expired drugs are being widely administered, leading to severe health complications and even death.

“In prison, we were often only given expired medicine. During COVID, the prison authorities claimed that simply sniffing fermented fish paste could cure the virus. Even in major prisons like Insein, these were the kinds of absurd treatments we endured,” She said.

One recent case involved 33-year-old political prisoner Ko Hnine Min, who died on April 26 in Katha Prison, Sagaing Region, after suffering from a high fever and reportedly being denied timely and appropriate treatment.

Since the military coup in February 2021, thousands of civilians including women, children, and peaceful protesters have been arbitrarily arrested and imprisoned by the military junta, often without formal charges.

According to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP), over 290,000 people have been detained by the junta since the coup began. Many of those imprisoned remain in poor conditions, with reports of torture, abuse, and medical neglect widespread.