YANGON: Myanmar has become one of the countries with the highest number of unvaccinated children, with over one million children missing out on critical immunisations, according to a statement released by Unicef Myanmar.
The information was included in Unicef Myanmar's report, Preventing a Lost Generation, which highlights the impact of escalating conflicts and instability on children's health and well-being in Myanmar.
For the past four years, Myanmar has faced increasing conflicts that have severely affected children. Violence, displacement and the collapse of essential services such as healthcare and education have put children's survival and well-being at great risk, Unicef Myanmar stated.
One in three displaced persons in Myanmar is a child, many of whom have had to leave their homes and now face an uncertain future. In 2024 alone, 750 children have been killed or injured due to conflict, with the number continuing to rise.
The near-total collapse of basic services has placed families and children in extreme danger. The public healthcare system, already weakened by the Covic-19 pandemic, has suffered further due to ongoing conflicts, insecurity, and the mass exodus of healthcare workers. As a result, many children are unable to receive essential medical care.
Myanmar now ranks among the top countries with the highest number of unvaccinated children, leaving them vulnerable to life-threatening diseases, Unicef Myanmar warned.
In addition to the healthcare crisis, nearly five million children in Myanmar have been deprived of education. Many face extreme risks such as forced recruitment by armed groups, child labor, early and forced marriages, and even executions.
Food insecurity and malnutrition have also reached alarming levels, with 55 per cent of Myanmar’s children living in poverty. Moreover, natural disasters, including severe storms and annual monsoons, have worsened children's hardships.
In 2024, Cyclone Mocha affected over 300,000 children and destroyed numerous schools. Overcrowded displacement camps and vulnerable communities have also suffered outbreaks of severe waterborne diseases. These impacts are expected to persist into 2025, according to Unicef Myanmar’s report. - Eleven Media/ANN
