United Nations Raises Alarm Over Potential Health Crisis in Myanmar Following Devastating Earthquake
A powerful 7.7 magnitude earthquake has left Myanmar grappling with thousands of casualties and a worsening humanitarian situation.
United Nations officials are expressing deep concerns regarding a potential health crisis in Myanmar following a devastating earthquake that struck the country with a magnitude of 7.7 on the Richter scale last Friday.
The earthquake has resulted in thousands of casualties, with many reported dead, injured, and missing.
Fernando Thushara, the World Health Organization representative in Myanmar, has warned that the lack of access to clean drinking water and sanitation services could lead to outbreaks of infectious diseases such as cholera and dengue fever, exacerbating the already dire humanitarian situation.
Tom Fletcher, the United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, stated that the disaster response faces significant challenges due to funding shortages and severe damage to infrastructure, hindering the delivery of aid to affected populations.
Fletcher urged for adequate funding to support relief efforts, emphasizing that current aid levels are insufficient and must be delivered safely and unimpeded, with protections for civilians.
Julia Rees, Deputy Representative of UNICEF, noted that entire communities have been destroyed, with thousands of children and families remaining outdoors and suffering from acute shortages of food and water.
This earthquake has struck at a time when Myanmar is already facing a severe humanitarian crisis, as the affected areas were hosting 1.6 million internally displaced persons due to ongoing conflict since 2021. The disaster has intensified the suffering of an estimated 20 million people in need of humanitarian assistance, with over 15 million individuals facing hunger.
The health sector in Myanmar is under immense pressure as thousands of injured individuals are arriving at hospitals, which are suffering from shortages in medical supplies, alongside power and water outages that threaten to promote the spread of infectious diseases.
Local search and rescue teams, supported by international units from several countries, are ramping up efforts to reach survivors trapped under the rubble of buildings destroyed by the earthquake, particularly in the most affected areas.
The earthquake has resulted in thousands of casualties, with many reported dead, injured, and missing.
Fernando Thushara, the World Health Organization representative in Myanmar, has warned that the lack of access to clean drinking water and sanitation services could lead to outbreaks of infectious diseases such as cholera and dengue fever, exacerbating the already dire humanitarian situation.
Tom Fletcher, the United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, stated that the disaster response faces significant challenges due to funding shortages and severe damage to infrastructure, hindering the delivery of aid to affected populations.
Fletcher urged for adequate funding to support relief efforts, emphasizing that current aid levels are insufficient and must be delivered safely and unimpeded, with protections for civilians.
Julia Rees, Deputy Representative of UNICEF, noted that entire communities have been destroyed, with thousands of children and families remaining outdoors and suffering from acute shortages of food and water.
This earthquake has struck at a time when Myanmar is already facing a severe humanitarian crisis, as the affected areas were hosting 1.6 million internally displaced persons due to ongoing conflict since 2021. The disaster has intensified the suffering of an estimated 20 million people in need of humanitarian assistance, with over 15 million individuals facing hunger.
The health sector in Myanmar is under immense pressure as thousands of injured individuals are arriving at hospitals, which are suffering from shortages in medical supplies, alongside power and water outages that threaten to promote the spread of infectious diseases.
Local search and rescue teams, supported by international units from several countries, are ramping up efforts to reach survivors trapped under the rubble of buildings destroyed by the earthquake, particularly in the most affected areas.
Translation:
Translated by AI
