Internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Kyaikto Township, Mon State, are suffering from seasonal dengue fever, diarrhea, and skin infections and are in urgent need of medical assistance, according to the Southern Burma Humanitarian Network (SBHN).
Following recent clashes and military incursions in Kyaikto Township—along with artillery shelling and airstrikes by junta forces—thousands of local residents have been forced to flee their homes in search of safety.
Most displaced people currently take refuge in forested areas, with relatives, or nearby monasteries. Others have fled to IDP camps established in Karen National Union (KNU)-controlled territory.
“In the Kyaikto area, we see two types of assistance. One comes from local civilians helping each other in places like family homes, farms, and monasteries. The other is support from the KNU side, where IDP camps are more formally set up,” said Nai Maroah Mon of SBHN.
“There aren’t official camps for those sheltering outside the KNU zones. They flee when fighting flares up and return home when it subsides, so it’s hard to get accurate numbers—we’re still collecting data. On the KNU side, around 5,000 IDPs are currently in camps, and while basic needs are being met, it’s still not enough,” he explained.
With the arrival of the rainy season, disease outbreaks among displaced populations are increasing. Common illnesses include dengue fever, diarrhea, and skin infections.
“During the rainy season, disease cases rise, and medicine shortages are becoming problematic. Many of the children are suffering from diarrhea. Skin diseases aren’t life-threatening, but nearly everyone in the camps has them,” Nai Maroah Mon added.
In addition to inadequate access to medicine, clean drinking water remains a pressing concern.
“The water isn’t clean. With the rain, mosquito-borne diseases are increasing. In some farming areas, weed killers are sprayed, and runoff containing chemicals flows into streams during heavy rains. The IDPs rely on rainwater and stream water. Even if you boil it to kill germs, the chemicals remain, contributing to the rise in diarrhea and skin diseases,” he explained.
SBHN also noted that displaced people lack food, shelter, and basic necessities in addition to the urgent need for medicine.
An estimated 17,000 civilians fled their homes in late May due to intensified fighting between the military junta and resistance forces, including heavy shelling, drone attacks, and aerial bombings in Kyaikto Township.
