A number of Myanmar observers will have been scratching their heads last week after the surprising visit of former US Ambassador to the United Nations Bill Richardson to the halls of power in Nay Pyi Taw.

Richardson wrapped up a short visit last Thursday after finishing a private humanitarian mission in which he reportedly sought to boost Myanmar’s efforts to fight the COVID-19 pandemic and facilitate the delivery of virus-related aid.

“The main focus of my discussions was to identify specific ways to speed the delivery of COVID-19 vaccines from the COVAX facility to Myanmar and to help mitigate a possible fourth wave of COVID-19,” he said, according to a statement issued by his Richardson Center for Global Engagement.

COVAX is a UN-backed effort to even out global vaccine distribution by supplying doses to low- and middle-income countries. Myanmar, one of the poorest countries in Asia, is in the early stages of attempting to offer COVID-19 vaccines to its people.

It said he recommended a range of specific humanitarian measures, mainly to facilitate the delivery of assistance to remote areas.

Some observers were surprised that Richardson managed to obtain a meeting with Myanmar junta chief Min Aung Hlaing. He reportedly met with other top officials, members of the foreign diplomatic corps and representatives of the United Nations and other international organizations.

On this trip, Richardson, known for his efforts to free Americans detained abroad, was able to secure the release from prison of a woman, Aye Moe, who used to work with his centre. However, there was no mention made by his center or in media reports of any efforts he may have made to free detained American journalist Danny Fenster, currently languishing in Insein Prison on several charges.

FLATTENING THE CURVE?

Richardson’s visit raised some questions in terms of the real purpose of his mission and what may not have been reported, given the state of US-Myanmar relations in the wake of the February military coup and in light of the fact that the COVID-19 pandemic in Myanmar now appears to be petering out.

Recent reports indicate the daily COVID-19 case numbers appear to be dropping significantly. Daily deaths were 390 per day at its height on 30 July, but have now dropped to around 16 per day in early November. Total COVID-19 cases are officially registered at 505,038 with a total death toll of 18,783 as of 6 November.

Myanmar has seen less of a “flattening of the curve” with COVID-19 and more a spike, at its height in July, and now a significant drop.

The per capita death rate in Myanmar was the worst in Southeast Asia during one week in July, when bodies were lined up outside overwhelmed crematoriums. Now the country is loosening restrictions and letting people get back to normal life.

Questions surround the Myanmar authorities’ handling of the COVID-19 pandemic and the real number of people who have died of the virus. As with most countries around the world, Myanmar has been using the discredited PCR Test that is an unreliable tool and likely to be run on the wrong settings, prompting a high percentage of so-called “false positives”. What this suggests is that many people who were put down as dying of COVID-19 actually died of other conditions or diseases. As an official from the Myanmar Ministry of Health and Sports admitted in 2020 a large percentage of COVID-19 deaths were due to other conditions.

The other concern for Myanmar at the height of the spike in cases this summer involved an absence of medical care for those suspected of having COVID-19 due to the crippled health sector, a result of the coup, the actions of the security forces, and the exodus of health workers who joined the Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM). The rush for oxygen cylinders was a sure sign that many people presenting themselves to the health authorities were “end-case” COVID-19 patients who had not received early treatment.

RESEARCH LACKING

As far as can be ascertained, Myanmar has not analysed cases and carried out research as to the real size and extent of the COVID-19 pandemic in the country. At this stage, the Nay Pyi Taw authorities are talking about trying to vaccinate the whole country – even develop its own home-developed vaccine – without assessing whether this is a wise course of action. This follows in lock-step with the United States and other countries around the world, now rushing to get people vaccinated.

As of 2 November, about 13.5 million of Myanmar’s roughly 55 million people had received at least one vaccination dose.

Jan Raphael is the pseudonym of a writer covering Asian and world affairs.

The views expressed here do not necessarily reflect the views of Mizzima Media.

UPDATED VERSION – The following is an updated version of the story previously published.