In response to the 7.7-magnitude earthquake that hit Myanmar on March 28, Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) teams made up of medical, logistics, and water and sanitation staff are assessing affected areas in Mandalay and southern Shan state. The full scale of the damage and medical needs is still unknown due to communication blackouts and the difficulty of reaching the hardest-hit areas amid ongoing conflict.
In Myanmar, the earthquake hit Sagaing, Mandalay, Naypitaw, and Shan state. Tremors were also felt in Thailand, Bangladesh, China, and Laos. More than 2,056 people have been killed in Myanmar, with 3,900 injured and at least 270 still missing. The quake caused widespread damage to infrastructure and buildings. Aftershocks are increasing the risk of further collapse and complicating rescue efforts. Residents also report experiencing fear and facing difficulty accessing safe shelter due to the current political situation.
Challenges amid ongoing response
Given the scale and intensity of the earthquake, the impact on people who require emergency trauma care for crush injuries can be devastating. This type of lifesaving assistance is an urgent need in the initial 72 hours after a disaster. We’re also concerned about people made vulnerable as a result of losing access to shelter, health care, and drinking water. Prompt medical aid efforts are crucial to control the spread of waterborne, vector-borne, or endemic diseases.
Further, health care facilities need stable power and clean water supplies to provide life- and limb-saving surgeries and deliveries. Damaged facilities may require urgent repair, temporary support structures, or replenished stocks of supplies that were lost or destroyed. Patients who rely on daily treatment to manage chronic conditions like HIV, tuberculosis (TB), diabetes, and hypertension will need close monitoring.
To enable an effective response, swift access to affected areas and timely approval of essential supplies and personnel are critical.
A rapid scale-up is needed in Myanmar
Our medical humanitarian staff in Myanmar and in neighboring countries are preparing to respond at scale to the needs of affected communities. Communication is ongoing with all relevant stakeholders, including the Ministry of Health, reaffirming our commitment and capacity to scale up quickly and support ongoing response efforts in Mandalay, Naypyitaw, and all other areas impacted by the earthquake.
Myanmar earthquake impact
- Schools, mosques, monasteries, government offices, and 1,000-bed Naypyitaw Hospital have been affected.
- Yangon-Mandalay highway as well as Innwa and Dokhtawaddy bridges are reported to be damaged or collapsed.
- The number of destroyed homes is still unknown.
- Power outages have affected the entire country, including Yangon, with phone and internet services also disrupted.
Myanmar earthquake: Working to meet the biggest needs
Read moreAs the scale of the destruction becomes clearer, a massive scale-up of assistance to prevent further loss of life and suffering is urgently needed. Responding to an emergency of this scale is beyond the capacity of any one organization. All people impacted by the earthquake, no matter where they live, need access to lifesaving medical humanitarian assistance.
