Imagine if you lived in a place where the military dictated who had access to health care.
Imagine if the only way to get to a hospital was through bribery.
Imagine not knowing what to do if your child became sick and needed help.

That’s the reality for many Rohingya people – one of the most persecuted people groups in the world today. In Myanmar, they faced daily discrimination and oppression – often in the form of denying their basic needs. Many fled to Bangladesh in search of safety.

Abul, seated in a Medical Teams clinic

45-year-old Abul is a Rohingya refugee and a father of seven children. He and his family fled for their lives when it became unsafe to stay in their home.

Abul recalls,

“In Myanmar I was financially stable. So [were] most of the villagers where I lived. But being financially stable didn’t help me much. Because we didn’t have freedom in that place to live our lives as we would have liked.”

For Abul, medical care was extremely difficult to access in Myanmar. As a father, he tried his best to make sure his family was taken care of, no matter the cost. He explains, “For Rohingya people, health services in Myanmar [were] very expensive. We had to bribe the guards at military check points to get access to the health facilities.”

But in Bangladesh, things are different. Thanks to you, people like Abul are getting the loving care they need.

In the Kutupalong refugee camp, Medical Teams provides health care services for all people, regardless of race or religion. Abul was overjoyed to learn that his family could access free medical care. He no longer has to worry about being denied care simply because he’s Rohingya.

Medical Teams’ staff provide loving care to refugees in Bangladesh

The camp provides safety for Abul, too. “Even though we are confined within the refugee camp; we [have] the freedom to observe our religion without any fear. Unlike in Myanmar, we don’t always have to live with the fear of the militaries here in the camp,” Abul explains.

As the COVID-19 pandemic looms, refugees need medical care and health information now more than ever. And they greatly value the care they receive.

Abul shares,

“I am so grateful to [Bangladesh] because you gave us a place to stay when we were in crisis. You gave us access to primary healthcare services. Here in the camp, health service is free of cost. Which is something we never had before.”

Please consider helping a refugee like Abul access medical care today! Send help to Rohingya refugees now.