Out of 4337 public healthcare posts needed in Rakhine, only 1,740 have been appointed with 2,597 spots still vacant, according to a statement released by the Rakhine State government.

Recently, the Ministry of Health and Sports has appointed over 400 public health staff including 21 specialists in Rakhine State to attempt to fill out the disproportionate ratio of healthcare workforce to the population.

The exact and latest appointees in the state are 21 specialists, 22 assistant surgeons, one dental surgeon, 18 nurses, 130 midwives and 12 lab experts and 200 public health supervisors.

The ministry is making systematic plans to promote the numbers of doctors, nurses and basic health workers in service and fill vacancies. Emphasis is placed on appointing more medical doctors trained by universities of medicine under a special programme by the Rakhine State government.

Moreover, priority is given to providing training and employing local people in various posts of each respective states. Plans are underway to establish a nursing and midwifery school in a township of southern Rakhine State. Kyaukphyu Township has been tentatively chosen.

The World Health Organization pointed out that the healthcare standard in Rakhine State was relatively low suggesting that there should be at least 22 health workers to provide healthcare for 10,000 people.

In other regions of Myanmar, there are about 16 health workers each to look after 10,000 people. But there are only five health workers to provide healthcare for 10,000 people in Rakhine State.

The child mortality rate in Rakhine State is the highest among other regions and states. According to a research survey for Rakhine State conducted in 2016, 52 percent of survey participants claimed that they have insufficient access to healthcare services.