Teknaf, Bangladesh: Topical diseases such as chicken pox and measles have spread inside Leda Refugee Camp recently, said a refugee elder from the camp.

A large number of refugee children have been suffering from chicken pox and measles since the second week of March 2011. Affected children are taken to the clinic of Muslim Aid, which is stationed inside the camp, and provided with some medicine by doctors, a refugee said.

“But frequently local security guards prevent the refugees from entering the clinic. ‘There’s no medicine for chicken pox, and get away from the gate’ is what the guards say,” reported a refugee from the camp.

“The security guards give priority to the local people over the refugees. Even when refugees are allowed inside the clinic, they are often sent back to their sheds without medicine.”

A mother of a five year-old child said on condition of anonymity that she has gone to the clinic with her child twice, but she was refused entry by security guards.

“I had to go to an outside clinic to get medical treatment for my child.”

The camp is managed by Muslim Aid, and the refugees are supposed to receive the same treatment as locals, but there is some discrimination made by local staff in the camp, said a refugee leader from the camp. 

Over 10,000 Rohingya refugees live at Leda Camp without recognition from UN or Bangladeshi authorities.