Social and rescue teams collect service charge due to financial and other hardships

HURFOM: Since February 1, 2021, social and rescue teams in Mon State have been facing financial, socioeconomic, security and other hardships. While these teams have provided their services for free in previous years, they now have to collect service fees from villagers who request their services.

Due to the high price and scarcity of gasoline, social and rescue teams have started collecting fees for transporting patients to hospitals and providing emergency response to patients who have had accidents.

“ Before, transporting patients to hospitals or providing emergency response to patients who have an accident had been free. But we can’t provide our service for free now. Depending on the distance, we have to collect at least 50,000 MMK ,” said an official from a social and rescue team in Southern Ye Township.

The military junta has pressured social and rescue teams to renew their registration under new rules and regulations. Additionally, junta forces frequently accuse members of social and rescue teams of having connections with resistance groups and arrest them. Ambulances have been shot and attacked by landmines and there have been casualties of social workers.

“ It’s very difficult to do our work under the military regime. We have to file a report to the junta’s security gates in advance before transporting patients to hospitals. Scarcity of gasoline is also a challenge. Sometimes, our members have been arrested by the junta ,” said a Chair of one social and rescue team in Mudon Township.

Financial and security and socio-economic hardships have forced many social and rescue teams in Mon State to stop or temporarily limit their services.

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