Internally displaced people (IDPs) in Sittwe, Ponnagyun, Kyauktaw, and Rathedaung Townships in Arakan State have raised concerns about possible health risks due to inadequate toilets in the camps following Cyclone Mocha.
Ahtet Myat Hlet camp, which shelters more than 600 people, had 21 toilets, but 19 of them were damaged by the storm, so only two are currently in use, the IDPs said.
“The two toilets we use now have no roof. We have to take an umbrella if we want to go to the toilet when it’s raining. When the toilets are taken, others have to wait,” said U Aung Naing Win, a displaced person from Ahtet Myat Hle camp.
Although the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has provided 100 corrugated iron sheets for the damaged toilets in Ahet Myat Hle camp, construction has not yet started due to lack of other necessary materials.
In Zedi Pyin camp in Rathedaung Township, which houses 320 people, 45 out of 48 toilets were damaged, leaving only three toilets usable for the displaced people.
Due to the insufficient toilets in the camp, there were cases of diarrhea among IDPs in June, and some are still suffering from the disease, according to IDPs.
“When one goes to the toilet, the others have to wait. Since we are many people, we have to use broken toilets when we can’t wait. The toilets stink and rainwater seeps through the roofs. We are worried about our health,” said Daw Ma Shwe Win, an IDP from Zedi Pyin camp.
Although it has been two months since the cyclone hit Arakan State, the majority of people affected by the storm are still unable to repair their homes and are struggling with health problems.
The lack of toilet construction in the overcrowded IDP camps continues to be a health concern in the western state.
Toilets in the Taung Min Kalar IDP camp in Kyauktaw Township, which shelters over 400 people, have also not been repaired, leaving people without proper toilets.
“We have to dig a hole in the ground outside if we want to go to the toilet. It stinks and there are also flies and mosquitoes. So there is concern about health. There is also a lack of security for women,” said Daw Aye Aye Khaing, an IDP.
In Arakan, more than 60,000 people displaced by the armed conflict between the Myanmar army and the Arakan Army (AA) are still unable to return to their homes.
The IDPs are facing livelihood difficulties and health problems due to the prolonging displacement and the aftermath of the recent Cyclone Mocha.
Sent by DMG.