Aid Freeze Threatens Healthcare for Refugees on Thai-Myanmar Border

Healthcare centres on the Thai-Myanmar border are closing due to the suspension of U.S. foreign aid, impacting refugees who rely on these facilities. In response, sick patients are being transferred elsewhere, and local officials are struggling to meet basic healthcare needs without U.S. support.

Healthcare centres along the Thai-Myanmar border, serving tens of thousands of refugees, face imminent closure following the suspension of U.S. foreign aid. The halt, initiated last week by U.S. President Donald Trump, has left Thai officials scrambling to relocate critically ill patients to other medical facilities.

The International Rescue Committee (IRC), supported by U.S. funding, has been ordered to shut these clinics by Friday, Jan. 31. The move follows Trump's decision to pause development assistance through the U.S. Agency for International Development for 90 days, aligning with the "America First" policy, causing disruptions in the global aid sector.

While the State Department has issued a waiver for life-saving humanitarian assistance, its impact remains uncertain. Locals are particularly concerned about the refugee camps, home to about 100,000 people, now facing severe healthcare shortages. The IRC's withdrawal affects not only medical needs but also essential services like water distribution and waste management.

(With inputs from agencies.)