WFP to provide food for quarantine centres in eight Arakan State townships

16 Sep 2020

Nyan Hein | DMG
16 September, Sittwe

The World Food Programme (WFP) will provide food for quarantine centres in eight townships of Arakan State, with the UN agency signing an agreement with the state government on September 15.

The WFP will provide three meals a day, said U Thet Oo Lwin, liaison officer for the WFP.

“We will provide food working with local organisations and volunteers from this week,” he told DMG.

The Union government has opened quarantine centres to prevent COVID-19 infection, and about 1,500 people throughout Arakan State are under quarantine, according to the figures it received up to September 10, the WFP said.

The food supplies will be provided this month for quarantine centres in Kyaukphyu, Kyauktaw, Sittwe, Pauktaw, Minbya, Myebon, Mrauk-U and Ann townships.

“As a United Nations agency assisting the people of Rakhine [Arakan] since 1994, WFP is proud to be partnering with the Ministry of Social Welfare Relief and Resettlement and the Rakhine State government in ramping up our food assistance to complement the government’s ongoing COVID-19 response,” said Stephen Anderson, WFP’s country director in Myanmar. “We stand ready to expand our support, if necessary, to Government efforts as it deals with food and nutrition needs of people in Rakhine and elsewhere in Myanmar.”

In a statement, Union Minister for Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement Dr. Win Myat Aye said: “We appreciate the cooperation of the WFP and its aid for Myanmar.”

As of the morning of September 16, there were 3,636 coronavirus-positive cases in Myanmar; 9,165 people under surveillance for COVID-19; 832 people recovered and discharged from hospitals; and 39 deaths, according to the Ministry of Health and Sports.