The World Health Organization has written, that local health facilities in mine affected countries must assure, “… an adequate health-care response, both immediate (e.g. acute trauma care and surgery) and long-term (e.g. rehabilitation), to the physical and psychological trauma of people injured by landmines. Most of these people live in poverty, which tends to get worse after the accident. Furthermore, health services equipped to treat people with landmines and ERW injuries are often found in urban areas only, yet most accidents occur in rural and remote areas.”1

The graphic above, released by the Landmine Monitor and UN MIMU on 25 June 2019, illustrates this characteristic in Myanmar. While much remains unknown, the Landmine Monitor has collected the data on 777 mine victims from Myanmar between 2008-2017 who were treated in health facilities within Myanmar, and by landmine victims from Myanmar treated in health facilities in neighbouring countries.

Compared to other injuries, landmine victims place an enormous strain on health facilities due to a longer need to stay in hospitals, an injury which frequently requires multiple surgeries, large quantities of blood for transfusion. Landmine injuries frequently result in the need for a prosthetic and regular repairs and replacements. Due to the trauma of being a victim of a human caused injury and the disruption of previous lifestyle, landmine victims may have psycho-social needs to be addressed.

This infographic is based on known data. The actual number of landine casualties is certainly far higher, but the available data provides an insight into the widespread impact of landmine casualties on the local health care structure in Myanmar.

Graphic URL: http://themimu.info/sites/themimu.info/files/documents/Infographic_ICBL_Land_Mine_Casualites_per_Country_2008-2017_MIMU_IG007v01_A3.pdf

1 A. Duttine & E. Hottentot, Landmines and explosive remnants of war: a health threat not to be ignored, Bulletin of the World Health Organization, 2013;91:160-160A.