Crisis within a crisis: earthquake strikes amid civil war
Even as communities struggle to recover from the quake, Myanmar’s ongoing civil war continues unabated, with nearly 20 million people in desperate need of shelter and food, according to the UN. This disaster only compounds an already dire humanitarian crisis.
HelpAge network responds
HelpAge International’s partner AGE Myanmar is on the ground, preparing to launch a response to support affected communities. Their planned efforts include providing healthcare, cash assistance, food, essential non-food items (NFIs), and mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS).
With electricity and communications networks down in Mandalay and Sagaing, gathering accurate information remains a challenge. The full scale of the destruction will only become clearer in the coming days.
Older people face the highest risks
Myanmar’s older population is growing rapidly. According to ESCAP, there are six million older people in the country, representing 11% of the total population. This figure is projected to rise to 13 million, or nearly 20%, by 2050.
The 2014 Census revealed that almost a quarter of Myanmar’s older population has at least one form of disability, with nearly 6% experiencing moderate to severe disabilities.
“The recent earthquake in Myanmar has resulted in an unprecedented tragedy, marking the most devastating event in the country’s earthquake history. The need for assistance is immense, as countless lives are trapped beneath the rubble, urgently requiring help.” – AGE Myanmar colleague.
Older people are disproportionately affected in earthquake disasters
Older people are among the most susceptible in natural disasters. They face disproportionate risks of severe health complications, injury, and mortality. The challenges they encounter include:
- Higher likelihood of death or serious injury due to mobility challenges and pre-existing health conditions.
- Greater prevalence of chronic illnesses, cognitive impairments, and reliance on assistive devices or caregivers.
- Increased risk of being deprioritised in rescue and relief efforts, as families and communities may be forced to make impossible choices about who to save.
- Psychological distress which has a significant impact on their mental health and wellbeing.
A humanitarian system that fails older people
Humanitarian responses too often overlook older people’s needs. Many relief efforts fail to collect disaggregated data on older populations, leading to their exclusion from emergency planning and aid distribution.
Accurate data collection is critical to ensuring an inclusive response. Identifying where older people are located, what barriers they face in accessing assistance, and what support they need must be a priority. Without this, older people will continue to be left behind in crisis after crisis.
Urgent action needed
The earthquake in Myanmar has laid bare the urgent need for a humanitarian response that prioritises the most at-risk. Older people cannot be left to face this crisis alone. Immediate steps must be taken to ensure their safety, well-being, and inclusion in relief efforts.
