Myanmar's healthcare system is on the brink of collapse, according to experts, as the country's civil war continues to take a devastating toll on medical infrastructure and personnel. The conflict, which began in 2021, has led to a severe shortage of essential medical supplies, including bandages, antiseptics, antibiotics, and IV fluids, as well as disruptions to routine health programs. The World Health Organization (WHO) has verified 70 attacks on healthcare facilities in 2025, resulting in 148 deaths and 186 injuries. Dr. Andrew Green, chair of the British Medical Association's (BMA) medical ethics committee, stated that the healthcare system is now 'on the very brink of collapse.'
The situation is particularly dire for the more than 16 million people who require life-saving assistance and protection services. Clinics in contested regions have been repeatedly targeted from the air, as they are seen as vital to keeping communities alive and resistant to military rule. A doctor from Global Health Partnerships, who wished to remain anonymous, emphasized that these attacks were not accidental but deliberate. The junta has denied civilian deaths at healthcare sites, labeling those killed or injured as terrorists or their supporters.
Even before the conflict, Myanmar faced a shortage of healthcare professionals, with only one health worker per 1,000 people. The war has exacerbated this crisis, forcing many professionals to suspend clinical practice, flee to safer areas, or leave the country. Since the start of the conflict, there have been at least 1,948 incidents of violence against or obstruction of access to healthcare staff, with 932 health workers arrested and 175 killed, according to data from Insecurity Insight.
The personal toll of this crisis is exemplified by the story of Elle (name changed), a doctor who fled to a border area to give birth to her first child at a refugee clinic. Her husband was arrested shortly after, and she experienced postnatal depression. Though he was eventually released, the couple now treats patients from refugee camps, including many victims of the civil war. Elle reflects on the emotional weight of her work, particularly the pain of seeing children injured or dying, a reality that hits closer to home now that she is a mother.
The military's recent gains, though small in overall territory, have strategic value in disrupting the resistance's supply lines and operations. However, these gains come at a high cost, with over 100,000 people killed since the conflict began, according to ACLED. The UN reported at least 702 civilian deaths in a six-month period around the widely condemned elections that ended in January.
Myanmar's healthcare crisis is a stark reminder of the human cost of war, where the deliberate targeting of medical facilities and personnel not only violates international humanitarian law but also deepens the suffering of those already enduring the horrors of conflict. The international community's response to this crisis will be a critical test of its commitment to protecting the most vulnerable in times of war.
