CJ Kantarawaddy Times
According to a health worker who provides medical care to displaced people in the western part of Hpruso township in Karenni State, the onset of colder weather is leading to increased incidence of illness since the first week of October.
“The weather turns colder this time of year. In September the medicine ran out due to the number of patients. Some medicines were restocked around October 10th, but there are still a lot of patients. There is fever due to the flu or other viruses, usually with headaches, chills, etc. It’s a mix,” said the health worker among the war-displaced population.
The refugees in the western part of Hpruso Township have been fleeing the war for more than a year, and due to various supply constraints and the volume of people, there is a near-constant need for medicine. He said that existence is difficult for the refugees living in the jungle during the climate transition.
“It’s colder in the valley and in the jungle, and it’s worse in Raepaya (ရာဧပရား) on the west side when the season changes, because it’s a damp area, and the internally-displaced people (IDPs) have to pitch their tents in the rain, so it’s not a healthful environment. If it’s cold, it feels even colder there, and if it’s hot, the heat feels more intense,” said one of the IDPs in Phruso.
According to the refugees, many suffer from psychological stress and mental health symptoms because they have not been able to return to their homes. More than 6,000 people are fleeing the war in Hpruso Township, left with no income, entirely dependent on donations.
