Medical Neutrality in Times of Military Coup in Myanmar

On February 1, 2021, Myanmar had a military coup. Arresting and kiilling health care professionals, attacking hospitals and clinics, the barbaric slaughter of thousands of innocent people, particularly women and children, are all routine in Myanmar today. There have been several incidents of atrocities of Myanmar military and security forces against our medical professionals. Since the Myanmar military and security is purposely bombing civilians and hospitals in Myanmar, violating the neutrality of health care in active battle, Myanmar’s health staff have been mobilized under exceptionally difficult conditions. Over three years, tens of thousands of our medical education colleagues and students have been prisoned and some being killed. The medical professionals were arrested and killed because of providing medical treatment to injured. Medical neutrality is often disrespected in Myanmar: There are several statements by international medical community for Myanmar. The Myanmar military and security forces disregard them and more and more Myanmar health professionals suffer and even family members of medical professionals have been arrested and killed when they cannot find medical personnel. International NGO are reluctant to provide humanitarian assistance to refugees and injured because their staff have greatest chance of endanger their own life as well as their family members due to Myanmar military action. This chapter discusses medical neutrality from the perspective of a humanitarian health care provider in Myanmar during military coup and critically reflect on own experience on medical neutrality in actual combat zones in Myanmar.