“There are only two doctors in the hospital. One is a dentist and another doctor is only on duty for three months. Both of them are not working on a full time basis,” said a Paletwa local.

Most patients from Paletwa have to go to Sittwe in Arakan state for ultrasounds, X-rays and surgery because there is such equipment in the hospital, said a local pastor.

However many people cannot afford to travel to the hospital in Sittwe.

The Paletwa hospital serves 50 villages of the 401 in Paletwa Township. But the hospital has only 25 beds.

In Chin State there are 24 hospitals to look after the medical needs of an estimated population of about 500,000 people in about 1,355 villages.

According to Annual Hospital Statistics Report, published in March 2010 by Ministry of Health, Chin State is the poorest of Burma’s 14 states and divisions.

Hospitals receive very little financial support for facilities or medical equipment to treat patients.