Border Hospitals Bracing for Increase in Patients as Camp Services Halt Following Cuts in Foreign Aid
THA SONG YANG, Tak – Medical teams are working tirelessly to stabilize Adabi, an 86-year-old Myanmar refugee grappling with severe heart issues and pneumonia, as her daughter looks on in distress at a hospital in northwestern Thailand.
“My mother has suffered heart disease for many years,” expressed 39-year-old Lay Nge, visibly shaken by the situation.
Adabi’s challenges emerged after cuts in foreign aid announced by the U.S. government halted healthcare services in her mountain refugee camp in Tak province, compelling critically ill residents to seek treatment at government facilities.
The termination of U.S. aid has stripped vital healthcare funding from organizations such as the International Rescue Committee (IRC) that previously supported thousands of refugees, including Adabi, living along the Thai-Myanmar border.
“The cessation of IRC support resulted in patients lacking basic necessities, such as medications,” mentioned Tawatchai Yingtaweesak, director of the Tha Song Yang hospital, where Adabi received emergency care.
In a recent update, it was noted that refugee communities have begun to “self-organize” to maintain essential services as responsibilities transition to Thai authorities.
The withdrawal of foreign aid has left Thai officials and refugee organizations scrambling for solutions, as state hospitals step in to provide care for the affected population.
The Mae La settlement, home to Adabi, previously featured one IRC-operated hospital and two clinics serving approximately 29,000 residents, with a limited number of medical professionals and volunteers, according to Tawatchai.
Following the abrupt closure of IRC facilities, hospital staff relocated their services to an old school building, where even emergency births are occurring under inadequate conditions.
Tawatchai is now tasked with managing the IRC hospital’s operations in the camp and has acknowledged the pressing need for medical supplies and budgetary support moving forward.
“In the medium term, we will require assistance with medicines and financial resources,” he stated, emphasizing high monthly operational costs.
Long-term Challenges Ahead
Experts warn that Thai government hospitals may struggle with the long-term healthcare demands of refugees, according to Kannapong Phiphatmontrikun, head of Tha Song Yang district, who is advocating for additional support from national and international sources.
“This is the appropriate pathway to address the emerging crisis,” he remarked.
Recently, Deputy Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul assured that the Thai government would extend support to the refugees affected by the suspension of aid.
“The Thai health system will exhaust all efforts to assist anyone in need,” he told reporters.
The potential dismantling of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) could complicate the situation further, with widespread humanitarian aid now at risk.
Healthcare professionals in Thailand have expressed concerns over increasing pressure on medical resources.
“Local residents have already made significant sacrifices,” stated Nuttagarn Chuenchom, a doctor at Mae Sot hospital, urging for more healthcare personnel to be involved in refugee services.
“Currently, we are facing staff shortages, leading to long wait times for patients,” she added.
In a hospital ward in Tha Song Yang, 45-year-old Maung Lay, from Mae La camp, expressed desperation after suffering a head injury from an epileptic seizure, stating that they have no means to procure necessary medications. “Our future is uncertain,” he lamented. “Without medicine, many of us will not survive.”
