Children in Cyclone Mocha affected areas in Arakan State are reportedly suffering from fever, diarrhea, abdominal pain and loss of appetite as a result of malnutrition.
IDPs and IDP camp officials reported that children in particular are suffering from malnutrition in the camps in the state in the aftermath of the cyclone.
According to reports, some children in Nayung Chaung IDP Camp in Kyauktaw Township are suffering from diarrhea, fever, and cough due to inadequate nutrition.
“The children are not like they used to be. We have noticed significant changes. Their immune system is weakened. They can’t afford to eat meat curries. Parents have nothing to do but leave their children at home when they go in search of fish and vegetables. They cook for their children, but the children don’t eat properly. This harms their health,” says Ma Saw Yaing from the Nyaung Chaung IDP camp.
In the They Kay Pyin Muslim refugee camp in Sittwe Township, about 50 percent of children under 8 are also suffering from malnutrition, said Daw Thein Mya, a member of the camp committee.
“They suffer from malnutrition because both mother and child are not fed enough. Their body growth is stunted. They have no appetite and therefore don’t eat properly. Since their immune system is not strong enough, they get various diseases,” she explained.
Daw Thein Mya went on to say that some sick children are treated in nearby hospitals and clinics, while others have to rely on medicines from nearby pharmacies due to their financial difficulties.
According to reports, the situation of IDPs, who received inadequate assistance from the beginning, has further deteriorated after Cyclone Mocha.
In addition to children, pregnant and nursing mothers are suffering from malnutrition. As a result, they have difficulty delivering their babies safely, and the newborns have physical defects, camp officials said.
“Pregnant women who are not adequately nourished suffer greatly during childbirth. Three disabled children have already been born in our camp,” said Daw Khin Aye from Taung Min Kalar IDP camp in Kyauktaw Township.
In the aftermath of the cyclone, most children are physically and mentally damaged because their parents or guardians do not care for them properly, their basic needs are not met, they are malnourished and they lack safety in their environment, aid workers report.
“When we visit rural areas, the main thing we find is that parents affected by the cyclone can’t take care of their children. When the children are hungry, they don’t manage to cook food for them. The children become sad when they see that their parents are not doing well,” said a representative of a local civil society group in Arakan State.
According to a UNOCHA Myanmar report released 15 June, 398 children under the age of five in eight cyclone-affected townships in Arakan are suffering from malnutrition and receiving treatment.
Sent by DMG.