A/HRC/39/CRP.2
must then get permission to travel, arrange transport, organize a police escort, and pay the
associated costs.1178 Even when all arrangements are in place, ambulances reportedly may
refuse to go to Rohingya villages, camps or sites, and ultra-nationalist Rakhine groups
sometimes prevent patients from reaching Sittwe General Hospital.1179
549. In central Rakhine, the Aung Mingalar ghetto in Sittwe town is located only a short
distance away from Sittwe General Hospital. Mobile health clinics operated by international
organizations visit on certain days of the week and can facilitate more rapid referrals.
However, those requiring medical treatment outside those times, including those requiring
emergency treatment, must first travel to a health centre at the Sittwe displacement camp to
obtain a medical referral. If successful, they are then referred back to Sittwe General
Hospital.1180
Adverse consequences
550. The movement restrictions and lengthy bureaucratic procedures have led to numerous
undue delays in reaching medical facilities. 1181 Restrictions have been enforced strictly, even
in the case of women in obstructed labour, infants needing emergency oxygen, people
suffering from heart attacks, and people with severe disabilities. In some cases, the delays
caused by these restrictions have been fatal.1182 One researcher told the Mission: “Almost
every Rohingya village in Rakhine State that I have visited has a story about someone who
died due to not being able to receive medical care, and not being able to get transferred
out”.1183
Discrimination in health facilities
551. Even when they manage to access government health facilities, Rohingya in Rakhine
State face discriminatory treatment, including further delays. 1184 Interviewees also reported
having to pay bribes or higher fees to receive treatment. One interviewee from Maungdaw
stated:
The treatment depends on the amount of money you have. If you pay more you will
receive medicine and proper care. They charge more from Muslims than from the
Rakhine.1185
552. Rohingya must also pay additional costs such as a “guard fee” for medicine and for
food, phone fees, as Rohingya are not allowed to use their own phones, and translator and
“guardian” fees.1186
553. According to credible reports,1187 both ethnic Rakhine and Muslim (Rohingya and
Kaman) patients experience unacceptable behaviour from hospital staff in Sittwe General
Hospital, including requests by nurses for bribes to receive “better communication”. Patients
also reported verbal abuse, inattention and, in some cases, physical abuse and medical
neglect. However, according to further credible information,1188 certain discriminatory
practices at Sittwe General Hospital are only faced by Muslim patients. For example, they
are placed in a small segregated ward of only 20 beds, under constant surveillance by security
guards, and they can only leave under supervision. To be admitted to the hospital, a patient
needs an accompanying “guardian”. In the case of the Rohingya, this can only be a woman
1178
1179
1180
1181
1182
1183
1184
1185
1186
1187
1188
DM-005.
K-076.12.
K-113.1.
K-076.12.
DI-013, K-076.12, K-113, DM-005, QM-005. It is very difficult to quantify the number of
preventable deaths. Some humanitarian actors estimate that there have been hundreds of
preventable deaths in central Rakhine since 2012 (DM-005).
K-120.
CI-061, CI-064, CI-078, CI-079, CI-080, CI-173, CI-174, DI-001, DI-002, DI-004, DI-038, DI-051.
CI-173.
K-113.1, K-120.
K-113.1.
K-113.1
131