By Min Ni Kyaw - Jun 24, 2024

The workers told Myanmar Labour News that they had to pay up to 800 kyats for a tablet of a home medicine. A worker said that the prices of commonly used drugs such as decolgen, paracetamol and cold medicines are also raising.

"A table of Decolgen costs 800 kyats. As we only get 4,800 kyats a day, one tablet costs 1/6 of the wage," said the female worker.

Decolgen, paracetamol and cold medicine groups cost only 100 kyats per tablet before, but they costs around 200-300 kyats. The workers said that antacids such as Digene, which are commonly used costs around 100 kyats per tablet which was only 50 kyats before.

“There are two types of Biogesic; tablet and capsule. Capsule cost more. Air-X costs around 350-400 kyats per tablet. A tablet of women tonic costs around 600 kyats. We can’t sell that anymore. We feel sad for the buyers and its not convenient to sell,” said a pharmacy owner woman.

A pharmacy seller said that drug prices often fluctuate depending on drug shortages and foreign exchange rates.

A female garment worker working in Shwe Than Lwin Industrial Zone said that due to the poor management of those in charge of health care in the factory, the workers have to buy their own medicine.

“A child worker fainted in the machine line. The nurse is not in the clinic as they are assigned unrelated tasks. The factory’s clinic doesn’t even have an inhaler,” said a female worker.

The Myanmar Labor Laws stipulated that factories must keep medic-clinic and nurses in the factory but Myanmar Labour News found out that most factories installed a clinic just for a show off, some factories doesn’t even have a clinic at all, some factories doesn’t have medicine or hire nurse, assign the nurse to work other stuffs, make burdens to get medicines, the HR controlled the medicines, not having sufficient medicines and not allowing the workers to take their own medicines.

Health experts are urging people to take preventive medicine as cold and many other diseases are happening in the current weather conditions.

However, a labor activist also said that due to the excessive time forced in the garment industry, the workers in the workplace are suffering from common illnesses to chronic diseases.