Myanmar Hunger Crisis: Escalating Need Amidst Conflict

Hunger in Myanmar is escalating due to conflict following a 2021 military coup. The U.N. estimates 16 million people face acute food insecurity. Particularly in conflict-hit Rakhine, food prices have soared, and aid access is restricted. The crisis is driving Rohingya refugees into Bangladesh, worsening their conditions.

Hunger is proliferating in Myanmar, a Southeast Asian nation beset by conflict after a 2021 military coup displaced an elected government. According to the United Nations, 3.6 million people are displaced, with millions lacking critical humanitarian aid due to insufficient funding.

The World Food Programme warns that over 16 million Myanmar residents are acutely food insecure, representing a substantial portion of the population. This alarming statistic places Myanmar among the highest global priority hunger hotspots.

Conditions are direst in the conflict-stricken state of Rakhine, where aid delivery is restricted, and food prices have quadrupled. Many Rohingya families, facing severe malnutrition, are fleeing to overcrowded refugee camps in Bangladesh, exacerbating the humanitarian crisis.

(With inputs from agencies.)