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Former Health Minister U Htun Wai d



Former Health Minister Dies Untreated in Rangoon Hospital

Four months ago, U Htun Wai, a former Health Minister during the
Burmese Socialist Program Party (BSPP) era, died in Rangoon
General Hospital (RGH) after he was denied treatment. He was hit
by a car in the early morning on August 11, 1997, while he was
strolling on a street near his home at Ngwe Kyar Yan Avenue of
South Okalapa township in Rangoon.  The driver drove away,
leaving U Htun Wai lying unconscious by the road.  Another driver
arrived at the scene and took him to the hospital. 

U Htun Wai was not given any treatment as there were no family
members accompanying him to pay the hospital bills.  Also nobody
at the hospital recognized him, despite the fact that he was a
former BSPP Health Minister who regularly inspected many
hospitals in the country before 1989. His family members only
found out where he was after he had already died at the hospital.

Before the 1988 pro-democracy uprising, U Htun Wai frequently
visited Daw Khin Kyi, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi's mother, while she
was staying in JICA hospital in Rangoon.  He was a staunch
supporter of the BSPP, and during the 1988 pro-democracy
protests, he ordered the hospitals in Rangoon to shackle the legs
of a number of student activists who had been arrested and were
in critical condition at the hospitals. One student activist,
Soe Naing, died in Rangoon General Hospital, after he was put in
shackles and not given any treatment. People were so incensed at
this inhumane treatment that many more took to the streets to
protest against the military regime.

Perhaps it is just retribution that U Htun Wai who ordered
students to be left shackled and uncared for himself died
in a hospital after not being given any treatment.  But what is
more important is that in Burma today, health care is only
available for known VIPs and those who can pay. 

Under the BSPP, although the health care system was not good,
people in critical condition were at least treated.  But since
1989, treatment is only provided to those who can pay on the
spot. Ordinary people, most of whom have little or no money for
health care, particularly under the current economic situation,
are left to die. 

This is largely because the military allocates such a small
percentage of the national budget to health care and treats the
civilian population as expendable.  There are no medical supplies
or medicines in the hospitals, and doctors and nurses receive
extremely low salaries which don't cover their basic expenses. 
Many of the medicines contributed by foreign relief organisations
are taken by the military hospitals.  The donations which do
reach civilian hospitals are not provided free to patients but
sold to outside shops by underpaid hospital staff.  The families
of patients must not only go out and buy all the medicines and
hospital supplies in the market, but also provide bribes to the
staff in order to ensure good care for the patient.

With a military regime that allocates half of the state budget to
the military and thinks only of maintaining its own power, it is
not surprising that the health situation in the country has
deteriorated.  If the military regime really cared about the
people, it would make sure that at least basic health care was
available for all.