Fevers and colds are spreading throughout the internally displaced people (IDP) camp, Zai Awng (also known as Mung Ga Zup), in eastern Kachin state's Waingmaw Township, according to reports from Kachin Baptist Convention (KBC) relief officials.
Cases of infections in the camp, which is home to 2,300 people in Kachin Independence Organization (KIO) controlled territory, has increased dramatically over the past week.
Pastor La Nu told the Kachin News Group (KNG) that last Sunday alone more than 170 residents had sought treatment at the two clinics in the camp.
Many camp residents have runny noses, coughs and other symptom related to airborne infections, a camp nurse confirmed. But the camp’s clinics face a serious shortage of much needed medicine.
With sickness spiraling out of control this shortage is a big problem, Pastor La Nu explained. Most of the medical aid has been supplied by either the KIO's health department, KBC, or Chinese churches in Yunnan province.
Many of the camps are situated in KIO-controlled territory where the majority of the estimated 100,000 people displaced by the two-year long conflict are sheltering. They are crowded and short of everything, except people. This has created poor living conditions that can be at least be partly blamed on rigid government restrictions that have continually prevented the UN and other international aid groups from providing regular assistance.
