_edited.png)
Challenges in Arakan Health - Healing in a Warzone
- globalarakannetwork
- Jul 25
- 3 min read
Updated: Jul 27
By GAN
Longread: Opinions July 27, 2025
The health crisis in Arakan (Rakhine State) stands as a stark indictment of the State Administration Council (SAC)’s neglect, a burden the United League of Arakan (ULA) and Arakan Army (AA) are resolute in addressing. Since the conflict resumed on November 13, 2023, SAC airstrikes and artillery shelling have targeted civilian areas, displacing over 500,000 people and heightening risks of malnutrition, disease, and untreated injuries.
The SAC’s stringent aid restrictions, tightened after Cyclone Mocha devastated the region in May 2023, have left our people vulnerable and underserved. Guided by the "Arakan Dream," the ULA/AA is building a healthcare system that reflects our national dignity and provides equitable care to all communities under our control as of June 23, 2025.
The ULA medical officers have demonstrated extraordinary courage and commitment. During the COVID-19 third wave, AA health teams provided critical care in Arkataung village in May 2021, establishing a model of resilience that we are now expanding across controlled territories. With 15 townships under the authority, the Arakan People’s Revolutionary Government (APRG) has set up basic healthcare services, including vaccination programs, emergency response units, and mobile clinics, despite severe resource limitations.
The SAC’s blockade has driven up the cost of medicines and medical supplies, creating shortages that threaten public health, but we are actively negotiating trans-border aid through Bangladesh and India to alleviate these pressures. The displacement crisis, intensified by intense fighting in Maungdaw and Buthidaung, increases the risk of outbreaks such as cholera and dysentery, which we are addressing with makeshift clinics, hygiene education, and efforts to secure clean water sources.
Natural disasters have compounded the existing challenges. Cyclone Mocha’s destruction of health facilities, homes, and water systems left communities reeling, and the SAC’s inadequate response mirrors its failure to support victims of Cyclone Nargis years earlier. The ULA/AA has prioritized rebuilding efforts, focusing on sanitation infrastructure and water purification to prevent disease outbreaks.
Mental health, a critical but overlooked issue under SAC rule, is a growing concern amid the trauma of war and displacement; we are introducing counseling services to support affected individuals and families. The travel ban, enacted in May 2025 to prevent exploitation by trafficking gangs, allows exceptions for individuals with severe health conditions, ensuring they can seek care outside the region when necessary.
Intercommunal tensions, particularly with the Muslim community, require careful management. The SAC’s drone attacks in Maungdaw in August 2024 and alleged abuses are fabrications designed to discredit us, but we acknowledge the need for inclusive health policies to build trust.
All residents, including the Muslim and other minority groups, receive equal care under the APRG, a principle we uphold to foster social cohesion and counter division. The SAC’s conscription of Muslim youths into their forces has strained limited resources, yet we see potential in integrating them into the ULA health workforce, provided they align with the existing governance and contribute to community well-being.
The path forward hinges on defeating the SAC to lift aid restrictions and securing international support, potentially leveraging China and India’s economic interests in Kyaukphyu and the Kaladan Project to fund healthcare initiatives.
As of June 23, 2025, the ULA’s health system remains nascent, constrained by conflict and limited supplies, but it is steadily expanding. This progress is a vital step toward a self-determined Arakan where every citizen can access the care they deserve, healing both body and spirit in the face of adversity.
