CNI News
17 December 2024
Khawng Yi (ethnic traditional intoxicant brew) was being used as medicine if children had fever in the Naga Self-Administered Region because the number of health staff was not enough although there are rural clinics there, chairman of the Naga National Party (NNP) U Shu Maung told CNI News.
Many patients there lost their lives because of difficult transportation in the region and locals' lack of health knowledge.
As there are no health staff in the rural clinics in the Naga region, although some locals who could spend money went to Homalin and Khamti Towns in Sagaing Region to receive medical treatment in the past, because of higher cost at present, they also couldn't go to the towns any more, said U Shu Maung.
" Parents in some villages make their children drink Khawng Yi if Paracetamol isn't available. The child is drunk, drowsy, and then fall asleep. When he wakes up, he feels a little refreshed. He seems to have recovered. Some parents buy Paracetamol. Some parents who can afford it went to Khamti or Homalin or Mandalay. But as the cost is higher, most people can't go there anymore." he said.
Although most villages in Nanyun Township have rural clinics, because there are not enough health staff, locals are finding it difficult for their health.
While seeing the Naga region
It is getting worse in the current political situation, said a local to CNI News.
" Nanyun has the township hospital. There is a circuit hospital in Pan Saung as well. But there are not enough health staff. There is a doctor or two. There are also a lot of medicine and facility requirements in the hospital. Meanwhile, when patients are serious, there are challenges. In the current situation of the country, it's getting worse." he said.
Health staff from Yangon, Mandalay and other cities who serve a distant Naga region are few. So, the government should make a plan to teach Naga nationalities medical education, chairman of the Naga National Party (NNP) told CNI News.
" Nursing training or something like this should be given to those who have passed the matriculation from the Naga region. A medical university should be built for more qualified Naga youths. In this way, local Naga doctors and nurses will emerge. Because they are Naga people, they will certainly serve in the Naga region, I believe. 10 or 20 or 30 years later, the current problem will be no more." he said.
The NLD government made a plan to build rural clinics in the Naga region and the construction of clinics were completed in 2022.
However, because health staff did not come to the clinics, locals have to go to towns or cities to receive the medical treatment.
