Contagious Skin Disease Outbreak Spreads Among IDPs in Kyaikto Township

June 25, 2025

HURFOM: A contagious skin disease outbreak is spreading among internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Kyaikto Township, Mon State, as ongoing conflict forces thousands of civilians into unsafe and unsanitary living conditions.

Local volunteers assisting IDPs report that over 100 people, including many children, are suffering from painful and itchy skin infections due to prolonged exposure to damp conditions and a lack of access to clean water and hygiene facilities. The affected individuals are part of the more than 18,000 people who were displaced after intensified fighting and daily artillery shelling by junta forces in over 30 villages since mid-May.

“Skin problems like ringworm, scabies, and rashes are becoming widespread, especially among children,” said a local volunteer. “The main reasons are poor sanitation, fungal and bacterial infections, and insect bites. Medicine is urgently needed.”

Many IDPs are currently sheltering in makeshift camps along the forested hillsides, where wet conditions during the monsoon season are exacerbating the spread of infection. Without proper shelter, clean water, or soap, even minor conditions are worsening into more serious health issues.

Some patients are receiving limited medical assistance from the health department of the Karen National Union (KNU) in Brigade 1, Thaton District. However, volunteers on the ground say the demand for medicine far outweighs the available supplies.

At present, over 1,000 IDPs remain unable to return to their villages due to continued junta presence and the risk of renewed attacks. Health and humanitarian needs continue to rise as the rainy season sets in.

Written by HURFOM · Filed Under News