MSF scales up the aid effort with more staff and materials coming to Myanmar

As of yesterday (14 May), four cargo planes have landed in Yangon, carrying a total of 140 tons of water and sanitation equipment, medical supplies, therapeutic food and plastic sheeting. A fifth plane is due to leave Jakarta on Friday.

Six international staff (one emergency coordinator and five water and sanitation specialists and logistician) arrived in Yangon yesterday.

An MSF medical team traveled to the locality of Dedaye yesterday in order to assess the situation. Dedaye is on the road between Bogaley and Kungyangon.

The monsoon has begun but has not badly affected the population nor hampered aid activities.

MSF is working in Pyanpon, Bogaley, Haingyi, Pyinsalu, Tongwa, Labutta, Thingangon and Chaungzu.

MSF teams have hired two bigger boats for use in Pathein, bringing the total number of boats used to transport aid in the Delta to ten. This is combined with the ten trucks we are using to bring aid from Yangon to Pathien. So far, MSF has managed to distribute 275 tonnes of aid since MSF teams began working in the Delta area.

Yesterday, four teams returned from outlying villages. They distributed aid to around 15 000 people, and distributed a total of 6 000 plastic sheets. Given that MSF has over 20 teams active in the Delta region, this gives an idea of the scale of the distribution effort.

MSF Myanmar Cyclone Operation Donation Account HSBC: 002-2-398226 Donation Enquiry: 2338 8277