By Kantarawaddy Times
In Nawng Lone IDP camp, located on the border of Hpruso and Bawlakhe towns in Karenni State, the lack of a self-reliant medical clinic for over three years has created an urgent need for a health facility to address emergency patients, according to the IDPs.
It is reported that tlthough the camp’scommittee and health officials have requested assistance from the IEC (Interim Executive Council), no significant support has been received thus far.
“We’ve discussed building a clinic and submitted a request to the administrative sector and the health department of IEC. They are considering whether it might be feasible by 2025, depending on the level of support they can provide. For the rest, we have plans to manage it independently to ensure healthcare services for the displaced population. However, constructing a building is not easy. If we use temporary materials like tarps, they would need to be replaced annually, which is impractical. That’s why we prefer a zinc-roofed structure, which is more durable,” said the healthcare worker.
Beyond Nawng Lone, other nearby camps also lack medical facilities. Emergency patients must be transported to distant hospitals or clinics, but poor transportation infrastructure prolongs travel time, sometimes taking the whole day. In 2024, an incident occurred in Daw Seh Khu village where a woman delivered her baby prematurely. The newborn did not survive due to the inability to reach a hospital in time.
Residents and IDPs in the area are calling for a functional clinic to provide healthcare services, especially for pregnant women who face challenges accessing vaccines and maternal care due to the remote location.
“When transportation is very difficult, we worry a lot about childbirth. We are doing our utmost to care for pregnant women, and fortunately, there have been no life-threatening incidents so far. However, the risks for newborns remain. For instance, in a recent case in Daw Seh Ku, there was a premature birth where the mother needed to go to the hospital, but she couldn’t make it to the hospital. If a newborn isn’t breathing, they must be taken to the hospital immediately. But it was nighttime, the roads were bad, and there was no vehicle available in the village. The baby couldn’t reach the hospital in time. Sadly, the child passed away the next day. These kinds of situations happen. It’s extremely difficult. While we are doing everything we can, there are still so many limitations beyond our control,” the healthcare worker explained.
Currently, the Nawng Lone camp has one healthcare worker providing care to patients. However, if a clinic were to be established, additional resources, including medical supplies and personnel, would be necessary.
The IEC has stated that while over 100 clinics have been established across various areas in Karenni State and more than 900 healthcare workers are serving, there is still a need to expand services to cover the entire state effectively.
At the Nawng Lone displacement camp, there are approximately 130 households with over 400 residents, comprising locals from Nan Phe and Sa Lel Lone villages.
