Myanmar: Violence Against Health Care in Conflict 2023
14 October 2024
OVERVIEW
The Safeguarding Health in Conflict Coalition (SHCC) identified 418 incidents of violence against or obstruction of health care in Myanmar in 2023, compared to 280 in 2022. In these incidents, 37 health workers were killed; health facilities were damaged or destroyed, and occupied. In addition, 102 health workers were arrested and 37 were killed. This factsheet is based on the dataset 2023 MMR SHCC Health Care Data, which is available for download on the Humanitarian Data Exchange (HDX).
THE CONTEXT
Another year of pernicious armed violence took place in Myanmar in 2023, with fighting continuing to primarily be concentrated between the junta-aligned Myanmar national armed forces (Tatmadaw), several ethnic armed organizations (EAOs), and local defense forces (LDFs). A total of 255 of Myanmar’s 330 townships, or nearly 80%, had been impacted by armed clashes. Violence escalated in late October following armed opposition groups’ launch of Operation 1027 in Shan state. These groups included the Arakan Army (AA), Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army, and Ta’ang National Liberation Army – which are known collectively as the Three Brotherhood Alliance. The Myanmar armed forces responded with air strikes and artillery shelling targeting civilians, but suffered setbacks when Three Brotherhood Alliance forces captured multiple strategic border crossings into China from Shan state at the end of 2023. Large numbers of health workers continued to be active in the anti-coup Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM). In 2023, this led to many health workers providing care clandestinely to populations in conflictaffected areas, frequently with restricted supplies of services and medication. Access for international aid agencies has repeatedly been restricted by the junta despite severe needs, and 18.6 million people (a third of Myanmar’s population) are expected to require humanitarian assistance in 2024.
