Irrawaddy-Aug 22
The military regime has ordered a private hospital in Myanmar’s second-largest city, Mandalay, to shut for three months for employing doctors who were arrested last year for allegedly going on strike from the public health care system. Mingalar Hospital—one of the largest private hospitals in Mandalay—treats cancer patients, pregnant women and newborns, among others. The hospital has been ordered to shut for three months from August 25 for allegedly employing two specialists from the public healthcare system who joined the Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM) following the 2021 coup. The employee of the hospital described the move as “retroactive punishment,” explaining: “They ordered the closure of the hospital over the two CDM specialists who were arrested last year. It seems that the punishment was retroactive.” Located in Maha Aungmyay Township, the hospital has about 700 staff, including specialists, surgeons, and nurses. The hospital is a unit of the Kachin National Development and Progress Company (KNDPC), which operates jade mines in Kachin State’s Hpakant Township, and has close ties with Myanmar military, the source added. In May, the junta’s heath ministry revoked the licenses of three more hospitals in Mandalay—Myodaw, Nandaw and Kantkaw—for allegedly violating Private Health Care Services Law. More than 40 striking health workers, including specialists, doctors and nurses, were arrested in October and November last year. Read more at: https://www.irrawaddy.com/news/burma/myanmar-will-get-sicker-junta-shuts-another-hospital-in-mandalay.html
