A Doctor after the Coup

“Sometimes there are cases where we couldn't give proper medical treatment due to roadblocks and attacks on the medics! These incidents make us feel the crushing guilt of a helpless doctor who could do nothing but let the patient slip away to death, right in front of our own eyes.”

It is impossible to overstate the importance of the medical professionals in Myanmar at this time. These courageous health care workers literally began the CDM movement with their initial "White Cloaks Strike" in February. In return for this, soldiers went out of their way to target doctors, with public beatings, abductions, and even assassinations in broad daylight. Today, being a medical volunteer in Myanmar is one of the most dangerous tasks that one can do.

As if this wasn't bad enough, the country was then rocked by the Third Wave of COVID, and the Tatmadaw took steps to actively prevent people from having access to life-saving medicine, in other words, the very oxygen they breathe. As doctors tried to save lives, soldiers impersonated house calls and then kidnapped medical staff once they came to attend.

In this interview, Dr. Troy opens up and shares just how terrible this time has been for he and his colleagues. As this particular quotation demonstrates, part of the pain came from feeling that no matter how much they sacrificed and to what extent they gave, it was simply never enough. These heroes living through hell, only surviving from day to day to help others, now must carry the guilt for those victims they couldn't reach in time. There are no words we can formulate to adequately express our appreciation for their service.