Tatmadaw is fully cooperating to tackle COVID-19

Tatmadaw is fully cooperating to tackle COVID-19

Naypyidaw / September 18, 2020

Tartee  (VOM)

Myanmar reported 4621COVID19 confirmed cases with 75 death on Friday. Over ten thousand people are under the surveillance at the quarantine centers across the country.

The Military predicted the COVID19 positive cases would be increase double by the end of September and said the military doctors are serving at the COVID-19 treatment center in Phaunggyi, Yangon division.

Major General Zaw Min Tun, the spokesperson of the Tamadaw’s True News Agency talked with VOM’s Ko Tarti at Naypyidaw on how the military is supporting the health workers across the country who are fighting at the front line to tackle the COVID-19.

VOM : May I know how many of the military personnel are under quarantine or tested positive?

Bri.-Gen : There are total 46 across the country, tested postivie, as of September 16. The number included their families and the former military staffs. The former Lieutenant Colonel Daw Khin Aye Myint (65) who lived in Sanchaung died on September 17. She was the former military staff that she received treatment at the military hospital.

VOM : How about the number of quarantined military staffs and their families?

Bri.-Gen : We don’t know the number exactly yet, as all of the contact person to the confirmed cases are sending to the quarantine centers.

VOM : How many quarantine centers running by the military, currently?

Bri.-Gen : 16 total across the country.

VOM : May I know the capacities of those quarantine centers? How many people were being sent to those center? Are they only the military staffs or the ordinary people?

Bri.-Gen : I will not say here how many of military staffs could be accommodated in the quarantine centers. At the quarantine centers in Yangon division, total of 1080 people can be stay. 86 at Mandalay, 7020 at Naypyidaw, 90 at Shwe Nyaung and 80 at Kholan, Southern Shan State, 144 at Kyaing Tone, Eastern Shan State, 800 in Lashio, Northern Shan State, 700 at Mawlamyaing, Mon State, 120 at Myeik and 40 at Kawthaung in Thanintharyi division, 80 at Taungoo in Pegu division and 30 at Monywa in Sagiang division. The centers are ready to accommodate 9550 people, the ordinary people.

Quarantine center in Hlaing Township, Yangon has already accepted over 3000 people and at Naypyidaw as well, we’ve accepted the ordinary people since the first wave.

VOM : May I know from which funding the military is using for these quarantine centers and all the supports to tackle the COVID19?

Bri,-Gen : The funding are not from the defense budget. Those funding are the donations of all of the military staffs, the daily donations and the monthly donations. In some cases, we used some part of the profit received from Union of Myanmar Economic Holding Ltd., (UMEHL) and Myanmar Economic Corporation (MEC). Some part of the profits received from these institutions can be use for the welfare of the military staffs, that we are using them.

VOM : Do the military received the aids from foreign countries?

Bri,-Gen : We’ve already announce publicly about the aids from China. China Communist party and Chinese military supported us for this.

VOM : May I know how much of those funds were being used?

Bri,-Gen : We cannot tell this yet. However, we recorded the expenses systematically.

VOM : Are there any challenges for the COVID19 responses and treatment process?

Bri,-Gen : The Tatmadaw opened the quarantine center for everyone. However, during second wave, there are only about one hundred people submitted to quarantine center in Hlaing, Yangon. At Naypyidaw as well, there are just about 200, and at Nyaung Shwe, only about 70 people. Everyone wants to know why the people did not go to the quarantine centers operating by Tatmadaw. The Commander in Chief already spoke about this during the cooperation meeting. Tatmadaw will cooperate enthusiastically to tackle COVID19 and take the matter as the national obligation.

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