Bangladesh - Humanitarian Response for Rohingya Refugees - Doctors Without Borders 2017

October 2017 - The escalation of violence in Myanmar on August 25 2017 has severely limited humanitarian access restricting the delivery of essential food medication and other basic commodities for all people living in northern Rakhine State particularly the Rohingya population. The mass exodus of more than 519 000 Rohingya to Bangladesh the majority being women and children has triggered a humanitarian crisis of such a scale that concerted international co-operation is urgently required. This latest movement adds to an already significant caseload of an estimated 300 000 refugees in Bangladesh. The number of Rohingya refugees in Cox’s Bazaar Bangladesh continues to grow and key humanitarian actors are describing the current situation as the world’s fastest deteriorating refugee crisis. With GAC’s support Doctors Without Borders is helping to meet the basic health water sanitation and hygiene needs of up to 250 000 refugees in Cox’s Bazaar Bangladesh focusing particularly on women and girls. Project activities include: (1) providing emergency primary and secondary healthcare services with a focus on sexual and reproductive health and rights mental health sexual and gender-based violence maternity services and obstetric care; and (2) providing access to sufficient quantity and quality of water sanitation and hygiene facilities.

The expected outcomes for this project include: (1) improved access to primary health care services with a focus on sexual and reproductive health and rights mental health and sexual and gender-based violence; (2) improved access to life-saving emergency and secondary health care services including maternity services; and (3) improved access to sufficient quantity and quality of water sanitation and hygiene facilities. The expected ultimate outcome is lives saved suffering alleviated and human dignity maintained in countries experiencing humanitarian crisis or that are facing acute food insecurity.