Staff abandoned Budalin’s public hospital in Sagaing Region on Sunday and Myanmar junta soldiers sealed it off, forcing inpatients to return home, according to residents.
A Budalin resident told The Irrawaddy: “We heard a group phoned the medical superintendent and told staff to join the civil disobedience movement [CDM] or risk their lives. We also heard explosions in the compound on Saturday night. The superintendent told staff he could not guarantee their safety, they joined the CDM and we don’t know their whereabouts. I heard the military is searching for them.”
Two shells landed in the compound on Saturday and the 15 staff, including the superintendent, closed the hospital and left on Sunday morning. Junta soldiers then reportedly sealed off the site and removed personal items.
Another resident said: “We don’t feel safe. There is little other health care available in the town.”
Budalin is 32km from the regional capital, Monywa, where the military’s northwestern command is based. There is no fighting between resistance groups and the junta in Budalin Township although frequent resistance drone attacks on junta positions in the town are reported.
The town’s immigration office, fire station and the state-owned Myanma Economic Bank are closed.
Resistance forces raided the fire station on August 7 and detained 11 firefighters, including the township’s fire chief, eight family members and a civilian. They were reportedly taken to resistance-controlled territory.
The regime has tightened security in the town with house searches and heavy deployments.
The Irrawaddy could not independently verify the reports.
