Myanmar Junta Tells Striking Medics to Leave Yangon HIV Center

By The Irrawaddy 4 May 2021

Myanmar’s junta forces have coerced striking government employees staying at an HIV care center in Yangon to leave the clinic.

There are 16 striking government employees from Yangon Workers’ Hospital and 26 of their relatives staying at the HIV care center. They say it will be difficult to find somewhere else to stay.

The security forces searched the center on Sunday. They accused the staff of making bombs after finding fertilizer used in the vegetable garden at the center and plastic pipes and cement powder from the center’s repair work.

They detained three HIV patients, eight striking Workers’ Hospital staff and a guest.

The center was founded and is run by National League for Democracy (NLD) parliamentarian Daw Phyu Phyu Thin.

On Monday two HIV patients, seven striking employees and the guest were released. A patient and a striking member of hospital staff are still in detention.

“The patient reportedly described himself as the security guard at the center and not a patient. He was beaten. He has been on medication for years and he may become drug-resistant if he fails to take his medication regularly,” said a center representative.

The two have reportedly been sent to the Shwepyithar interrogation center and a civil society organization is trying to get medication to the patient.

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