MSF Kutupalong Clinic in Cox's Bazar

Since 25 August, over 620,000 Rohingya refugees have crossed the border from Myanmar into Bangladesh. Their arrival comes on top of hundreds of thousands of other Rohingya who arrived in previous years and were already living in difficult conditions. MSF has significantly scaled up its medical, water and sanitation efforts in support of the growing population.

The makeshift settlements are densely populated; and living conditions remain precarious. Significant efforts are needed to reduce the population density. If the situation doesn’t improve, there is the potential of a public health emergency.

Access to food distribution, water and sanitation, and healthcare facilities has become increasingly difficult for new arrivals and people settled further in the camps. Humanitarian aid agencies need to work in a coordinated effort to ensure an even allocation of resources reaching the population far and wide.