By Kantarawaddy Times
A camp for internally displaced persons (IDPs) located in the eastern part of Loikaw Township, Karenni State, is facing serious health concerns as residents are forced to drink contaminated rainwater runoff.
A member of the IDP camp committee has reported that some residents are experiencing diarrhea due to consuming the murky water from polluted streams during the rainy season.
“There are cases of diarrhea, including among children. We are worried about the possibility of fever as well. We also lack access to medicine; on the other hand, clinics also facing similiter limited medical supports, making this situation even more concerning. For the long-term, we are worried about the health consequences,” stated the committee member.
The IDPs had dug wells during the dry season, but they are now unusable due to the contaminated rainwater runoff. Some residents have started collecting rainwater;however, without water tanks and tarpaulins, many are still relying on the unsafe water sources.
“Access to clean water is difficult. The rainwater runoff is murky and undrinkable. It takes one, two or even three days for it to settle. The water is simply not clean. During the summer, there was a water shortage, and now during the rainy season, we are facing the same issue with rainwater runoff. The wells we dug are covered by rainwater, so we are trying our best to collect what we can,” shared the committee member.
The camp currently has 54 families with a total population of over 200 people. To ensure long-term access to clean water, the camp urgently needs water tanks and tarpaulins for collecting and storing rainwater.
