Relief efforts for Myanmar's earthquake hampered by information blockade and bureaucratic obstacles

In the aftermath of the 7.7 magnitude earthquake that struck Myanmar on 28 March, thousands of people are in urgent need of medical care and essential supplies. The epicentre was in Sagaing region, but the damage spans multiple states and regions in the country.

The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that hospitals in Myanmar are overwhelmed with injured patients. MSF, an international humanitarian organisation, is particularly concerned about trauma injuries, as lifesaving assistance is urgent in the initial 72 hours after a disaster.

Children are among the most vulnerable. According to UNICEF, families have been left sleeping in the open, their homes destroyed. The psychological trauma for children living through conflict and displacement has been intensified by this disaster, says UNICEF. Julia Rees, deputy representative for UNICEF, highlights the immense psychological trauma for children due to the disaster.

People who rely on daily treatment for chronic conditions such as HIV, tuberculosis, diabetes, and hypertension have become more vulnerable due to a lack of access to shelter, health care, and medicines, says MSF.

NGOs say communication blackouts and other challenges are complicating rescue efforts. Myanmar's military seized power in 2021, sparking a civil war and a humanitarian crisis. Almost 20 million people were in need of humanitarian assistance before the earthquake, according to the UN. Communications blackouts and severe restrictions on media coverage make it difficult to get a clear picture of the devastation caused by the earthquake.

International and local responders are present, but the ability to scale up aid efforts depends on the facilitation of humanitarian access and the movement of essential supplies and personnel. The Red Cross and other humanitarian groups are getting their assessments of the situation from AI tech companies due to the volatility within the country.

Myanmar has formally requested aid from members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) of which it is a member. They will be sending a team of doctors and nurses. The Myanmar Red Cross, in cooperation with the German Red Cross, delivered a 42-ton shipment of relief supplies within 16 days after the earthquake. The aid focuses on emergency food assistance, medical support, and humanitarian access despite ongoing conflicts and restrictions.

The UN reports that children who are already living through conflict and displacement have experienced yet another layer of fear and loss due to this disaster. The World Food Programme (WFP) urgently requested $30 million to assist 270,000 people in Rakhine state over six months. However, the WFP has faced funding cuts that forced suspension of aid to over a million people, but planned limited resumption of aid in the worst-affected areas.

Richard Gordon, chair of the Philippine Red Cross, believes humanitarian efforts on the ground could take at least three years. Paul Brockmann, MSF operations manager for Myanmar, Bangladesh, and Malaysia, emphasizes the need for deployment of assessment teams and surgical capacity in the first hours and days after an earthquake.

As of 3 April, Myanmar's military junta confirmed over 3,000 dead and more than 4,700 injured, plus several hundred more missing. A growing shortage of food, water, and medical supplies, including for blood transfusions, according to the WHO, underscores the urgency of the situation.