High incident numbers continue to be recorded in Sagaing region in 2024. Incidents increased in the Mandalay region between June and August 2024 and mainly involved health facilities being damaged by explosive weapons use or repurposed for non-medical uses in Pyin Oo Lwin and Myingyan districts.
Explore the incidents on our interactive map. Access this data on HDX. The dataset no longer includes event descriptions due to HDX policy. Please complete this two-question survey and tell us what you think. The dataset does not yet include all incidents reported in this News Brief. Data is updated every Monday. Follow us for the latest updates. Numbers may change if or when further information is made available.
Past incident briefs: 02-15 October; 18 September-01 October; 04-17 September; 21 August-03 September; All
SHCC Factsheets: Burmese: 2023. English: 2023: 2022; 2021; 2020
Please get in touch if you are interested in curated datasets, have made a public statement that you would like us to include in our Bi Monthly News Brief, to report an incident or if you have additional information on an incident we have reported on. Join our Myanmar mailing list for regular updates. Help support the protection of health care by sharing this resource. Please copy and paste this link: bit.ly/16-29Oct2024MMRHealth
Documented incidents
16 October 2024: In Toungup town and township, Thandwe district, Rakhine state, a senior nurse was arrested by the Myanmar military in her house. Local media claim she was arrested on suspicion of being associated with the Arakan Army. She was detained at the military base. She was not affiliated with CDM. Source: Narinjara News
17 October 2024: In Kaing village and village tract, Pakokku township and district, Magway region, a sub-rural health centre occupied by the PDF was attacked by the Myanmar military. Two firearms, bullets, magazines and other military equipment were seized from the health centre by the Myanmar military and two male and one female PDF members were killed. Sources: PCT News and Telegram
As reported on 17 October 2024: In Sittwe town, township and district, Rakhine state, many private clinics and four private hospitals were closed due to armed clashes in the nearby townships. Source: Development Media Group
20 October 2024: In Ann town, township, and district, Rakhine state, a military hospital was damaged during armed clashes between the Myanmar military and the Arakan Army’. The military patients were relocated to a school and a public hospital which was then repurposed for military use and closed for civilian patients. Sources: Ayeyarwaddy Times, Mizzima, andNarinjara
As reported on 20 October 2024: At the Myanmar military checkpoint in Se Gyi village, Pyin Khon Gyi village tract, Kale township and district, Sagaing region, ambulances with patients onboard travelling from Tamu town to Kale town were not allowed to enter Kale town. Sources: Radio Free Asia and Zalen
22 October 2024: In Aing Ma village and village tract, Tilin township, Gangaw district, Magway region, a sub-rual health centre, a school, and at least eight civilian houses were damaged due by bombs dropped by a Myanmar military fighter jet and artillery shelling by the Myanmar military ground forces. A civilian was killed and at least six injured. Sources: Mizzima and Myanmar Pressphoto Agency
22 October 2024: At the border gates in Muse town, township, and district, Shan state (North), the import of medicines, food items, electronics, machines and fuel from China to Myanmar was blocked by the Chinese government. This blockade by China was believed to be a tactic to warn ethnic armed groups to abide by a ceasefire agreement. Sources: Khit Thit Media and Radio Free Asia
23 October 2024: In Mandalay city, district, and region, a male doctor was arrested by the junta police on accusations of causing unrest and chaos. Along with his arrest, 11 LNGO aid workers, including some doctors who had delivered medical aids in partnership with the victim were also arrested for interrogation. Sources: Eleven Media Group, Myaelatt Athan, NP News, Radio Free Asia, Radio Free AsiaII, and Shan News
As reported on 23 October 2024: In Ngan Myar Gyi village and village tract, Ngazun township, Tada-U district, Mandalay region, a station hospital and a library were occupied by the Myanmar military after they took over the village following armed clashes with resistance forces. Source:Radio Free Asia
24 October 2024: In Sat Thwar village and village tract, Gwa township, Thandwe district, Rakhine state, a station hospital was occupied by the Myanmar military. Sources: BBC Burmese andNarinjara
As reported on 24 October 2024: In Nammun station town, Mohnyin township and district, Kachin state, medicine cargoes transported to the town were seized by the Shan-Ni Army who controlled this town resulting in medicine shortages. Source: The 74 Media
As reported on 25 October 2024: In Homalin township and district, Sagaing region, most of the 14 rural health centres and 57 sub-rural health centres have been closed since 2022 due to armed clashes and insecurity in the region. People living in the affected villages must travel to Homalin town to seek health care. Source: The Voice of Shan-Ni
As reported on 25 October 2024: In Pinlaung town and township (Pa-Oh self-administrative region), Taunggyi district, Shan state (South), a township hospital was not accessible to civilian patients due to military patients being treated at the facility following armed clashes in the area. Source: Mekong News
26 and 28 October 2024: In Aung Chan Thar suburb, Aungmyaythazan township and district, Mandalay region, eight LNGO aid workers were arrested by junta security forces in plain clothes. The victims were transported to Nay Pyi Taw town for interrogation and accused of passing information about the junta to the PDF. The LNGO office was raided on 28 October. Sources:Ayeyarwaddy Times, Irrawaddy, People Media, and Radio Free Asia
28 October 2024: In Dee Doke Kwin village and village tract, Pauk township, Pakokku district, Magway region, a sub-rual health centre and at least seven houses were torched by the Myanmar military and militia. Source: Khit Thit Media and Tachileik News Agency
As reported on 29 October 2024: In Si Mee Khon village and village tract, Myingyan township and district, Mandalay region, a station hospital was occupied by the Myanmar military. Source:Facebook and Khit Thit Media
More resources
The Safeguarding Health in Conflict Coalition (SHCC) identified 188 incidents of violence against or obstruction of health care were reported in Sagaing, Magway, and Mandalay regions in 2023, an increase from 118 in 2022 and 165 in 2021.
Nearly 40% of incidents in these regions reported damage to health facilities. Incidents were most frequent in November, which was consistent with an increase in the overall intensity of conflict between the Myanmar armed forces and resistance groups in Sagaing in that month. From April, local resistance forces increasingly used drones armed with explosive weapons to attack Myanmar armed forces occupying health facilities. The Ye-U Traditional Medicine Hospital in Ye-U township, Sagaing region, which was occupied by the Myanmar armed forces, was damaged on seven separate occasions in July, September, October, and November, with all of these incidents attributed to armed resistance groups. On at least two occasions health facilities were damaged due to the large-area effects of explosive weapons, which shattered the windows of hospitals. Download the data.
SHCC Factsheets: Burmese: 2023. English: 2023; 2022; 2021; 2020.
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. Read more