By Kantarawaddy Times
In the Naung Lon IDP camp, located in the Nanphe village tract of Karenni State’s Bawlakhe Township, many students at the self-reliant primary school are suffering from malaria. This situation is causing concern among the students’ parents.
“Many students are getting malaria. In each classroom, usually 2 or 3 students are affected. Out of 84 students, around 20 have tested positive for malaria. That’s roughly 30%,” said Thinn Thinn Htoo, a school coordinator.
The school includes students from other areas, and efforts are being made to prevent the spread of malaria. However, there has been an increase in cases this month, which has disrupted the teaching process, according to the teachers.
“In Grade 3, we have the highest number of students, which is 18 students; therefore, the malaria cases are higher in comparison to other classes. In lower grades, the number of cases is also higher, while in Grades 4, 5, and 6, it’s less frequent. If students miss school, it disrupts the teaching process. If one student is absent, the teacher has to slow down, and it takes time to get them back on track with the school lessons,” said the teachers.
Additionally, the IDP camp reportedly lacks a proper clinic, resulting in insufficient medical supplies.
“A self-reliant clinic hasn’t been built yet; however, I’ve heard there are plans to build one, but it hasn’t happened yet. Until then, I either provide healthcare services to students at my home or sometimes I go to treat them in person as much as I can. I’m in contact with nearby clinics. With the recent malaria outbreak, I’ve requested and received malaria testing equipment from nearby clinics,” said a healthcare provider.
Along with malaria, the camp is also experiencing a flu outbreak. Educational awareness efforts and preventive measures are being implemented to control the spread of diseases.
Among those affected by malaria are two children over five years old and others aged 10 and 14. In the past two months, 31 cases of malaria have been reported in the refugee camp.
The Naung Lon IDP camp houses over 400 people from 130 households who have fled from Nanphe, Saleh Lon, and Bu Ku villages.
