They will instead be replaced with the union government's health service, the chairman of the Information Committee for Rakhine State Government, U Hla Thein, told Mizzima on March 2.

The Ministry of Health, also on March 2, released a press statement in the state-run newspaper, The New Light of Myanmar, saying it wanted to clarify the conditions by which MSF had been kicked out of Rakhine State.

In the statement, the ministry said it sought to contain "rumours" that MSF had been told to cease whole-of-country operations in Myanmar.

A press statement released by MSF Holland (AZG) on February 28, expressed disappointment over being ordered to cease all operations in Myanmar.

However the ministry's statement on March 2 said MSF had been asked to temporarily cease operations in just Rakhine State.

Meanwhile MSF could continue to provide treatment in other parts of the country including the Yangon Region and in Shan and Kachin states.

The ministry statement said services provided by MSF in Rakhine State would only cease to operate due to an expired MoU between the Ministry of Health and the international aid organization.

MSF has provided treatment to refugees displaced by communal conflict in northern Rakhine State, including services around the country to about 30,000 HIV-positive patients and 3000 tuberculosis patients who are also HIV-positive.

U Hla Thein said the ministry would connect with Rakhine's state hospitals and start distributing medicine this month.

However, he did not clarify whether refugee camps where vast numbers of Muslims displaced by conflict would be included in the distribution of healthcare provided.

Last month, widespread protests against MSF's presence in Rakhine State forced the MSF office in Sittwe to shut down.

Ethnic Rakhine have accused MSF of racial discrimination and of favoring the Rohingya and Muslim populations.