Yangon (Myanmar), April 23 (HBTV): In the aftermath of the magnitude 7.7 and 6.4 earthquakes that struck central Myanmar on March 28, the World Health Organization (WHO) has warned of rising health threats, including tuberculosis (TB), HIV, and vector- and water-borne diseases, affecting tens of thousands of displaced people in the earthquake-affected areas.
According to a statement from WHO South-East Asia, over 3.5 million people in Myanmar were already displaced prior to the earthquakes. The latest disaster has left tens of thousands more homeless, intensifying existing health vulnerabilities. Overcrowded shelters, poor sanitation, damaged infrastructure, and limited health services are compounding the crisis.
Myanmar has one of the highest TB burdens in the WHO South-East Asia Region. In 2020, an estimated 167,000 people contracted TB, with approximately 22,000 TB-related deaths, including 2,900 people living with HIV. A national epidemiological review conducted in early April amid the ongoing emergency found that, although surveillance systems in some regions remain operational, access to care is increasingly uneven.
TB teams continue to provide services where possible in makeshift facilities such as staff housing and community halls, but these are inadequate. The review stresses the urgent need to expand molecular testing, strengthen TB-HIV coordination, and scale up community-based detection. WHO and its partners are working to address these needs urgently.
‘Lives are at stake,’ said Thushara Fernando, WHO Representative to Myanmar. ‘People living with TB or HIV, and communities at risk of dengue and malaria, cannot wait for health systems to be rebuilt. That is why WHO is supporting partners on the ground to maintain continuity of care and prevent the spread of infectious diseases – even under extremely difficult conditions.’
The HIV response, closely tied to TB control efforts, has also been severely disrupted. An estimated 280,000 people are living with HIV in Myanmar, but as of 2023, only 70 per cent were receiving antiretroviral therapy. Many affected areas were already underserved; now, with clinics damaged and outreach services suspended, access to treatment has further declined, especially among key populations such as sex workers, people who inject drugs, and men who have sex with men.
As Myanmar enters the monsoon season, the threat of mosquito-borne disease outbreaks is increasing. In 2023, the country reported over 16,000 dengue cases and 77 deaths, many among children. Displaced communities living in overcrowded shelters with poor drainage and sanitation now face an escalating risk of disease as mosquito breeding accelerates. Pregnant women and children are particularly vulnerable.
To prevent a second wave of suffering, WHO has launched a dengue prevention initiative in coordination with national and local partners. The campaign includes the distribution of over 4,500 rapid diagnostic test kits, 6.2 tonnes of Temephos for larviciding in mosquito breeding sites, and 500 insecticide-treated tent nets for infants and children in the hardest-hit areas.
WHO also warned of growing risks from water-borne diseases. Myanmar has a history of cholera outbreaks, and clusters of acute watery diarrhoea have already been reported. WHO has activated early warning systems and delivered essential medicines, including oral rehydration salts and intravenous fluids. Efforts are ongoing with partners to improve water safety, hygiene, and sanitation in high-risk areas.
The coming weeks are considered critical. WHO has appealed for USD 8 million to support its emergency response and deliver life-saving assistance. It has also called upon individuals, businesses, and philanthropic organisations to contribute through the WHO Foundation’s Myanmar Earthquake Appeal.
So far, WHO has mobilised nearly 140 tonnes of medical supplies, equipment, and medicines from both within Myanmar and global stockpiles—sufficient to meet the basic health needs of approximately 450,000 people for up to three months. It is coordinating 16 Emergency Medical Teams currently providing urgent and primary healthcare in the affected regions.
‘We must respond at the scale of the challenge,’ said Dr. Fernando. ‘This is no longer just a natural disaster, it is a complex and evolving health emergency. The people of Myanmar deserve no less.’
(ANI)