In brief
Mandalay General Hospital is facing a critical situation following a 7.7-magnitude earthquake, with many patients receiving treatment in the parking lot. Health care in Myanmar was already under severe pressure before the quake, raising concerns for the nation's medical resources.
In the sweltering heat of 100 degrees, Mandalay General Hospital has turned its parking lot into an improvised treatment area for the overwhelming number of casualties from the recent earthquake. Victims, many of whom are severely injured with bandaged limbs, are lying on cardboard or directly on the concrete as they await medical attention. Dr. Kyaw Zin, a surgeon at the hospital, expressed the dire conditions, stating, "More injured people keep arriving, but we do not have enough doctors and nurses.” The strain on the medical facility is evident as phone lines were also disrupted, leaving Dr. Zin unable to contact family members. “I'm very worried about my parents,” he said, acknowledging the difficult choice between personal concern and his obligation to treat others. Even before the earthquake struck on Friday, Myanmar's healthcare system was already compromised due to ongoing political turmoil. The military junta, which has ruled since a 2021 coup, has implemented crackdowns on medical professionals who have been involved in widespread protests against the regime. Physicians for Human Rights has classified Myanmar as one of the most dangerous countries for health workers.As the situation unfolded, the earthquake struck while Dr. Zin was preparing for surgery, forcing everyone, including patients, into the open air. The sounds of ambulance sirens rang out as the queue of injured continued to grow. Onlookers described a chaotic scene with nurses tending to patients set up in the parking lot, some requiring intravenous support amidst a backdrop of distress.The junta has not yet confirmed the full extent of the fatalities, and ongoing infrastructure damage threatens access to already embattled regions battling severe unrest. The epicenter of the seismic event is in the Sagaing region, a hotspot for resistance against military rule. The World Health Organization has indicated that acquiring accurate information is challenging due to aftershocks and the breakdown of communication networks while pledging to mobilize trauma supplies to assist with the crisis.