DAVAO CITY (May 6) — As of April 8, 2025, official data shows that more than 3,600 people have died, over 5,000 have been injured, and 15 million have been severely affected by the earthquake—creating what many describe as a crisis within a crisis.
“They found my son in my sister’s arms. She didn’t make it. I also lost my husband,” shared a patient at the Tada-U mobile clinic. “My child is too young to grow up without his father. Those of us who survived were injured. I had severed arteries in my wrist. I went straight to a hospital and clinic in Mandalay for surgery. Even now, I still can’t bend or stretch my hand, so I’m unable to work. I came back to the clinic today to check how it’s healing. I’m terrified it will happen again. I just want my husband back.”
Doctors Without Borders’ Response in Myanmar
Doctors Without Borders (MSF) is currently focused on supporting communities affected by the disaster by providing access to safe drinking water, clean sanitation facilities, temporary shelter, essential household supplies, mental health care, and medical services.
Needs assessments are still underway in some locations, and MSF teams continue to adjust their operations to meet the evolving needs of impacted communities.
Mandalay City and Mandalay Region
In the Mandalay region, MSF teams have made significant strides in improving water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) in hospitals and displacement camps across nearby villages.
Over 2,000 families have received non-food item (NFI) kits, and mobile medical units have been deployed in more than eight locations throughout Mandalay city and the surrounding region to enhance access to healthcare for affected communities.
MSF is also helping restore essential services in earthquake-damaged health facilities, including tuberculosis (TB) treatment, while conducting disease surveillance to help prevent outbreaks of cholera, dengue, and malaria.
To support overstretched hospitals, MSF has provided vital logistical assistance. At Tada-U Hospital, for example, MSF set up a large medical tent for patient overflow and donated 10 hospital beds.
Southern Shan and Inle Lake
MSF mobile clinics are operating in four villages across Southern Shan and the Inle Lake area, offering essential health services and referring patients to more advanced care when needed. The teams are also conducting hygiene and disease prevention education campaigns.
Mental health care is a priority, and MSF is providing community-based psychological first aid (PFA) to help those affected cope with the emotional toll of the disaster.
Efforts to restore access to clean water have included repairs to water treatment units—such as reverse osmosis and surface water systems—and reestablishing electricity in affected communities.
To aid in recovery, MSF has distributed shelter repair materials including bamboo, wood, nails, and hammers, along with hygiene-focused NFI kits to help improve sanitation and prevent the spread of disease.
