Doctors joining civil disobedience movement in Myanmar to continue battling COVID-19
Feb 10, 2021
Naypyitaw [Myanmar], February 10 : Doctors in Myanmar on Wednesday decided to carry out their duties with regards to fighting the COVID-19 pandemic while participating in the civil disobedience movement (CDM) against the coup d'etat by the military, reported Myanmar Times.
Rector at University of Medicine Dr U Zaw Wai Soe said that plans are in the pipelines to set up COVID-19 treatment centres that will be manned by doctors participating in the movement against the military's forced transfer of power.
"We will be implementing plans for COVID-19 centres and the doctors participating in the CDM will be taking care of the patients. The COVID-19 centres will be established with volunteer medical workers and they will treat patients who tested positive for the virus at private hospitals. Plans are already underway,'' he said.
At present, government hospitals are only accepting emergency cases. Some hospitals are refusing new patients as a majority of their staff are currently participating in the CDM, reported Myanmar Times.
"The setting up of the treatment centres was necessary for Yangon to continue its fight against the virus," said Dr U Zaw Wai Soe, a participant in the movement.
Myanmar on February 8 had a total of 141,427 COVID-19 cases, 3177 deaths and 127,975 people had been discharged from hospitals. New cases have been dwindling in the past several days with new cases hovering below 10.
Myanmar's military launched a coup last week and detained State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi, Win Myint and other NLD members.
Earlier, medical workers from Mandalay participated in the CDM on February 3. From then on, many government staff also joined the movement to support the National League for Democracy (NLD) government and fight against the military takeover. Many hospitals including those in Yangon, Mandalay, Pathein, Muse, Sagaing are not receiving new patients anymore.
On February 9 the state media printed a request letter to health workers. As per the letter issued by the health and sports ministry, which is currently under the military government, said they appreciate the strenuous efforts of the medical workers.
The letter urged all staff members at the respective departments under the Ministry of Health and Sports (MOHS) to return to their duties by taking the well-being of patients into consideration.
