Statement: Deadly airstrike on a hospital in Mrauk-U (Rakhine State, Myanmar)
Today, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) learned of the bombing and destruction of the Mrauk-U general hospital in Rakhine State, Myanmar. Reportedly, the airstrike – which occurred around 9 p.m. on 10 December – resulted in the death of at least 30 civilians and injury to more than 70. It appears to be the deadliest recorded attack on a healthcare facility in Myanmar since 2021. Among the casualties were health workers and patients, including elderly people, long-term care patients, and dozens of children. There are also reports of severe injuries among the survivors.
“It is difficult to convey how outraged MSF is by the attack on one of the few remaining functioning medical facilities in the area. Bombing of health facilities, patients being killed in their beds, this cannot be perceived as collateral damage in conflict zone. Hospitals must remain a safe place for patients to receive medical care,” says Paul Brockmann, MSF operations manager for Myanmar, Bangladesh, and Malaysia.
“We mourn the patients who lost their lives at the hospital we have supported over the years, and we stand in solidarity with colleagues with whom we worked side by side. Destruction of one of the last operational hospitals in Central Rakhine will further restrict access to healthcare, including life-saving treatment, for civilians caught in the fighting.”
“In Rakhine, access to healthcare has already severely decreased in recent years due to the ongoing conflict. Numerous medical facilities have been damaged, and many health professionals have been forced to flee due to ongoing violence. The same pattern has been recorded across many areas of Myanmar – the country ranked forth for attacks on healthcare in 2024”.
“As an international, neutral medical humanitarian organisation, we urgently call on all parties to the conflict to uphold the fundamental principles of international humanitarian law. Civilians and medical facilities must be protected without exception amidst the escalating violence,” adds Brockmann.
MSF started working in Rakhine in 1994 and started supporting the hospital in Mrauk-U in 2021, with a focus on primary healthcare, sexual and reproductive care, mental healthcare, emergency referrals and treatment for non-communicable diseases such as diabetes and hypertension. MSF was compelled to suspend presence across most of Rakhine in 2024 due to extreme escalation of the conflict, and currently has a limited presence primarily in Sittwe.
