Millions of people in Myanmar are in dire need of humanitarian support, some due to the devastation caused by Cyclone Mocha.

In a 19 July report from ReliefWeb, citing USAID, access restrictions continue to impede the delivery of critical humanitarian assistance to populations affected by Tropical Cyclone Mocha in Rakhine State.

Health care was affected by nearly 140 attacks and other incidents in Myanmar between 1 January and 16 May, leaving the closure of many facilities and restricting civilian access to critical medical care.

On July 13, the US government announced more than US$74 million in humanitarian funding for the Myanmar and Bangladesh regional crisis response.

The United Nation’s report in January said that 4.5 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance this year, and its report in March said that 1.5 million people were targeted by the 2023 Rohingya Humanitarian Crisis Joint Response Plan. UNHCR’s report in June this year said that 1.6 million people were displaced since February 2021, the number of refugees in Bangladesh is about 962,000 and 7.9 million people were adversely affected by Cyclone Mocha.

Myanmar’s military carried out large-scale and indiscriminate attacks on civilians after the coup in February 2021. They announced a one-year state of emergency, and arrested civilian government officials, including State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi and President Win Myint. This state of emergency has been extended to August 2023.

As clashes have escalated in Myanmar, forced displacement and humanitarian needs have gradually increased in southeastern and northwestern of the country, as well as in the Kachin and Shan states.