Around 18,523 Rohingya women pregnant

MNA Exclusive Desk: Around 18,523 pregnant Rohingya women, who have entered Bangladesh during the massive exodus of Muslim community of the Rakhine state in Myanmar, have been suffering from many health-related problems.

Moreover, nearly 441 child-expecting women out of 18,523, have been facing various types of health-related complexities, according to the information of Health Department.

So far, some 150 women have given birth to their babies in Bangladesh, sources at the Health Department added.

Besides, there are some 42,541 children of different ages in the makeshift Rohingya camps in Ukhia and Teknaf upazilas who have been facing a great threat of mass health disorder due to the insufficiency of child food.

However, some 43 makeshift medical camps, 36 vaccine centres, one mother and child welfare centre, one general hospital ,two upazila health complexes, two union service centres, three community clinics, 12 makeshift centres, four family welfare centres and 12 partner centres have been providing round-the-clock health services to the Rohingyas.

Earlier, two United Nations committees have called on the Myanmar authorities to stop killings, rape and forced displacement of Rohingya women and children in Rakhine State immediately.

The United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) and the Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC) issued a joint statement from Geneva on Saturday.

They urged the Myanmar authorities to ‘promptly and effectively’ investigate and ‘vigorously’ prosecute cases of violence against women and children in Rakhine.

“We are particularly worried about the fate of Rohingya women and children subject to serious violations of their human rights, including killings, rape and forced displacement,” they said in the statement.

“Such violations may amount to crimes against humanity and we are deeply concerned at the State’s failure to put an end to these shocking human rights violations being committed at the behest of the military and other security forces, and of which women and children continue to bear the brunt.”

However, more than 5,15,000 Rohingyas have so far taken refuge in Bangladesh fleeing persecution in Rakhine state of Myanmar carried out by its military forces since August 25.