Since the Armed Forces of Myanmar (Tatmadaw) seized control of the country on 1 February 2021 following a general election that the National League for Democracy party won by a landslide, Insecurity Insight has documented how violence has devastated the health-care system. Starting in late 2022, armed violence has escalated, with the Myanmar military increasingly using aircraft-delivered explosive weapons against communities that strongly resisted the military’s rule. Kayah state has been particularly affected.

Forty incidents were recorded in which Myanmar military aircraft dropped explosive weapons that damaged or destroyed clinics, hospitals, pharmacies and rural health centres. Incidents occurred during wider attacks on civilians and opposition groups and often involved other civilian infrastructure being damaged, including homes, monasteries and schools. In addition, at least one health worker was killed and two others injured when the facility that they were working inside was hit by military air strikes.

In total, nine health workers were killed and four injured by explosive weapons dropped by Myanmar military aircraft.
Staff were harmed while providing medical care to people injured during armed clashes at an IDP camp and in health facilities inside the camp. In one incident in April 2023 a fully functioning hospital was damaged when it was struck by Myanmar military air strikes, injuring a nurse, a patient and three civilians. Two ambulances were damaged and IDPs sheltering near the hospital were further displaced.

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