Despite a ceasefire being declared between the Arakan Army (AA) and the junta in Rakhine State on 26 November 2022 the junta authorities are still not allowing medicine deliveries in Rakhine State.

Apparently pharmacies in the state are still suffering form shortages of medicines because truck drivers and transportation companies are refusing to deliver medicines in Rakhine State until they receive official permission to do so.

The chairman of the Rakhine State Federation Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Tin Aung Oo, said that the truck drivers and transport companies will not transport medicines in Rakhine State until the Rakhine State Administrative Council gives official permission for medicines to be transported in the State, which it has not yet done.

When renewed fighting erupted between the AA and the junta in Rakhine State earlier this year, the junta banned the transport of pharmaceutical products to Rakhine state or even within the State from township to township, according to some pharmaceutical retailers and manufacturers

Companies trading in pharmaceuticals have sent requests to the Rakhine State Administrative Council via the Rakhine State Chamber of Commerce and Industry asking for permission to transport medicine from Yangon to Rakhine State as there are shortages of medicines in Rakhine State and stocks are very low.

They have not yet received any sort of reply to their requests.

Maung Maung Tun, a truck driver who has his own transport business taking goods between Maungdaw and Taungpyo in Rakhine State said that truck drivers could only transport medicines and pharmaceutical products after receiving permission from the Health Department.

As a result of this, Rakhine State residents are facing severe shortages of medicines and the prices of those medicines still left in the shops have soared so that they can now cost three times their normal price. Additionally, pregnant women and children have been unable to get the vaccinations they need in a timely manner.