Myanmar’s healthcare infrastructure is deteriorating rapidly following the military junta’s 2021 coup, according to medical professionals and international organizations monitoring the conflict. The World Health Organization reported that 70 healthcare facilities were attacked in 2025, resulting in 148 deaths and 186 injuries. Dr. Andrew Green, chair of the British Medical Association’s medical ethics committee, characterized the situation as placing the country’s healthcare system “on the very brink of collapse.” International humanitarian law violations have systematically reduced or eliminated medical services across the nation.
The ongoing civil war has created severe shortages of essential medical supplies, including bandages, antiseptic medications, antibiotics, intravenous fluids, and diagnostic tests. Military blockades have compounded these shortages, leading to disease outbreaks including a resurgence of malaria and other preventable illnesses exacerbated by contaminated water supplies. Routine health programs have been interrupted, leaving over 16 million people lacking access to life-saving assistance and protection services, according to the WHO.
Healthcare workers have borne significant costs in the conflict. Since the uprising began in 2021, at least 932 health workers have been arrested and 175 killed, with 1,948 documented incidents of violence against healthcare staff or obstruction of access to medical care. An estimated 45,000 healthcare workers have joined or supported the resistance movement, many fleeing to jungle clinics or refugee camps. Myanmar faced a shortage of healthcare professionals even before the conflict, with only one health worker per 1,000 people. Many remaining professionals have been forced to suspend practice, relocate, or emigrate.
The personal toll on healthcare workers is substantial. One doctor recounted sacrificing her position at a prestigious hospital to provide care in refugee camps, enduring family separation and loss while witnessing trauma from the conflict. Her account reflects the broader challenges facing medical professionals attempting to maintain care systems amid ongoing violence and resource scarcity.
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