Sittwe, Myanmar – Tens of thousands of people displaced by conflict in
western Myanmar’s Rakhine state and living in temporary camps have
inadequate sanitation, poor hygiene conditions and limited access to
safe water, increasing health risks to people in and near the sites.
Vulnerable groups, including children, are at greatest risk of diseases
like diarrhoea and other water-borne diseases. Out of the estimated
115,000 internally displaced people in Rakhine, about 85,000 are
currently housed in and around Sittwe. About 5 per cent of them,
predominantly ethic Rakhines, live in urban sites, while 95 per cent --
mostly Rohingyas – are in rural sites.
“In spite of the progress made so far in providing humanitarian support
for the people of Rakhine state, much more needs to be done, especially
in rural areas, to protect children and their families from illnesses
that result from unsafe water and a lack of adequate sanitation,” said
Bertrand Bainvel, the UNICEF Representative in Myanmar.
While access and coverage of water and sanitation for people in camps in
urban areas has improved, rural sites have much bigger numbers of
internally displaced people and are in less accessible locations. A lack
of space and congested living environments mean they have worse
latrines and poorer hygiene. Surveys showed just over half of all
displaced people have access to what is considered safe water. About 70
per cent have access to some sanitation and 60 per cent have access to
basic sanitary supplies.
Drainage and solid waste disposal are major challenges in both urban and
rural sites, as the use of temporary accommodation is prolonged and the
rainy season is looming.
According to rapid surveys earlier this year, water for domestic uses –
washing and cleaning – is available, yet access to safe drinking water
is limited. The surveys found that the large majority of internally
displaced did not boil their water because of a lack of firewood and
awareness about hygiene issues. Nearly 70 per cent of people did not
have adequate water storage capacities or suitable containers.
Ground water lifted through hand pumps and rainwater stored in tanks
serve as sources of drinking water for most of the displaced.
Some locations, including those with displaced who have arrived since
October, do not have ground water sources, and stored rainwater supplies
are expected to run out by late January 2013. The rainy season does not
set in until May and there are no easy solutions to water shortages.
Desalination and transportation of water are expensive and
labour-intensive. Ensuring regular provision of alternative sources of
drinking water will be a significant challenge unless people move back
to their places of origin.
The sanitation situation also poses challenges. Temporary pit latrines
are being used by large numbers of people and fill up rapidly - roughly
every three months - without drainage and proper waste disposal. Space
constraints, high costs and complex logistics make it impossible to
relocate the latrines in many sites. About 35 per cent of people
currently practice open defecation – a practice that predates the
current conflict. Rakhine state traditionally has high rates of open
defecation compared to other parts of Myanmar.
Once the rains start, overflow from pit latrines combined with flooding
in areas where open defecation is normal could create intolerable
environmental pollution and the spread of water and sanitation-related
diseases. The absence of proper lighting in displaced sites raises
security concerns and dignity issues for people, particularly women and
children, who are obliged to use latrines in the evenings or at night.
To date, UNICEF and its water, sanitation, and hygiene sector (WASH)
partners focused on distributing basic hygiene items, providing latrines
and bathing areas, operating safe solid waste disposal and drainage
systems, constructing safe water supplies, and hygiene promotion.
In Sittwe, WASH partners provide support in sites for the displaced, and
increased access is resulting in steady improvements in the water and
sanitation situation. About 60 per cent of displaced have received
hygiene kits with basic items, such as bath and laundry soap, buckets,
nail clippers and sanitary napkins.
UNICEF is committed to supporting the health, education, protection
rights and prospects of all children in Rakhine State and across
Myanmar, based on its humanitarian principles of neutrality and
impartiality. UNICEF joins calls for a rapid resolution of the conflict
and long-term social investment in Rakhine State.
Sittwe, Myanmar – Tens of thousands of people displaced by conflict in
western Myanmar’s Rakhine state and living in temporary camps have
inadequate sanitation, poor hygiene conditions and limited access to
safe water, increasing health risks to people in and near the sites.
Vulnerable groups, including children, are at greatest risk of diseases
like diarrhoea and other water-borne diseases. Out of the estimated
115,000 internally displaced people in Rakhine, about 85,000 are
currently housed in and around Sittwe. About 5 per cent of them,
predominantly ethic Rakhines, live in urban sites, while 95 per cent --
mostly Rohingyas – are in rural sites.
“In spite of the progress made so far in providing humanitarian support
for the people of Rakhine state, much more needs to be done, especially
in rural areas, to protect children and their families from illnesses
that result from unsafe water and a lack of adequate sanitation,” said
Bertrand Bainvel, the UNICEF Representative in Myanmar.
While access and coverage of water and sanitation for people in camps in
urban areas has improved, rural sites have much bigger numbers of
internally displaced people and are in less accessible locations. A lack
of space and congested living environments mean they have worse
latrines and poorer hygiene. Surveys showed just over half of all
displaced people have access to what is considered safe water. About 70
per cent have access to some sanitation and 60 per cent have access to
basic sanitary supplies.
Drainage and solid waste disposal are major challenges in both urban and
rural sites, as the use of temporary accommodation is prolonged and the
rainy season is looming.
According to rapid surveys earlier this year, water for domestic uses –
washing and cleaning – is available, yet access to safe drinking water
is limited. The surveys found that the large majority of internally
displaced did not boil their water because of a lack of firewood and
awareness about hygiene issues. Nearly 70 per cent of people did not
have adequate water storage capacities or suitable containers.
Ground water lifted through hand pumps and rainwater stored in tanks
serve as sources of drinking water for most of the displaced.
Some locations, including those with displaced who have arrived since
October, do not have ground water sources, and stored rainwater supplies
are expected to run out by late January 2013. The rainy season does not
set in until May and there are no easy solutions to water shortages.
Desalination and transportation of water are expensive and
labour-intensive. Ensuring regular provision of alternative sources of
drinking water will be a significant challenge unless people move back
to their places of origin.
The sanitation situation also poses challenges. Temporary pit latrines
are being used by large numbers of people and fill up rapidly - roughly
every three months - without drainage and proper waste disposal. Space
constraints, high costs and complex logistics make it impossible to
relocate the latrines in many sites. About 35 per cent of people
currently practice open defecation – a practice that predates the
current conflict. Rakhine state traditionally has high rates of open
defecation compared to other parts of Myanmar.
Once the rains start, overflow from pit latrines combined with flooding
in areas where open defecation is normal could create intolerable
environmental pollution and the spread of water and sanitation-related
diseases. The absence of proper lighting in displaced sites raises
security concerns and dignity issues for people, particularly women and
children, who are obliged to use latrines in the evenings or at night.
To date, UNICEF and its water, sanitation, and hygiene sector (WASH)
partners focused on distributing basic hygiene items, providing latrines
and bathing areas, operating safe solid waste disposal and drainage
systems, constructing safe water supplies, and hygiene promotion.
In Sittwe, WASH partners provide support in sites for the displaced, and
increased access is resulting in steady improvements in the water and
sanitation situation. About 60 per cent of displaced have received
hygiene kits with basic items, such as bath and laundry soap, buckets,
nail clippers and sanitary napkins.
UNICEF is committed to supporting the health, education, protection
rights and prospects of all children in Rakhine State and across
Myanmar, based on its humanitarian principles of neutrality and
impartiality. UNICEF joins calls for a rapid resolution of the conflict
and long-term social investment in Rakhine State.
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