THE KARENNI Army (KA) said refugees at two camps in Mae Hong Son are now seeking treatment at a Thai hospital after US President Donald Trump’s 90-day pause on foreign development assistance led to the International Rescue Committee (IRC) suspending health service, Amarin TV said today (Jan. 28).
IRC has been affected by the pause in channeling assistance through United Nation High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) with patients at two refugee camps, one in Mae Hong Son’s city district and the other Khun Yuam, having to be taken to Sri Sangwan Hospital to save their lives, a senior KA leader said.
This in turn would affect medical treatment for Thais but it is unavoidable, he added.
However the Free Burma Rangers (FBR) humanitarian service helping people and soldiers in Karenni State was not affected by the US government’s policy because it receives assistance from many countries. Even so, if patients are seriously injured and cannot be treated, they will be sent to Thailand for treatment.
Meanwhile a hospital run by IRC at Mae La Karen refugee camp in Tha Song Yang district, Tak province, also announced today that it would no longer be able to provide health care for patients because there are no medical staff working at its outpatient and inpatient departments. The details of when it will reopen remain unknown.
Pharmacies at the camp were urged to not hike the price of medicine.
Currently there are nine refugee camps along the Thai border housing approximately 90,000 refugees under the care of the Interior Ministry. Set up over 30 years ago, all receive financial assistance from the US and other Western countries.
Photos: Amarin TV
This report originally appeared at www.thainewsroom.com
Comments
