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The Sri Lankan mission speaks of its work in quake-struck Myanmar
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Some members of the Lankan team helping in relief work
By Dilushi Wijesinghe
Across Nay Pyi Taw, multi-storey housing complexes had crumbled, their ground floors reduced to rubble while their top floors, once home to thousands of people, remained eerily standing.
The city was badly hit by the 7.7 magnitude earthquake that struck Myanmar on March 28, affecting around five million people. The disaster claimed lives, fractured roads, demolished buildings and filled makeshift camps with the internally displaced.
Calls for aid were sounded across the region. Sri Lanka was among those who responded, deploying a 26-member Humanitarian and Disaster Response (HADR) team within five days of the quake. Comprising Army, Navy, and Air Force personnel, they undertook a 21-day self-sustained humanitarian mission to Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar’s capital.
The initial plan was for a team of 60 to travel with 18 tonnes of provisions but this was cut down to 26 people and five tonnes of provisions. “We had to reduce rations and accommodation materials so that medical equipment could take priority,” said Team leader Contingent Commander Brigadier (Eng.) Punya Karunatilake of the Sri Lankan Army.
Major Dilruk Ratnayake
Members were from different forces and hadn’t worked together before. But they built effective coordination on the ground.
Upon arrival in Rangoon, the team was welcomed by Sri Lanka’s Ambassador to Myanmar and Foreign Ministry officials. They travelled to Nay Pyi Taw on an eight-tonne lorry and a coach. The typically six-hour road journey of 400kms stretched to 12 owing to shattered roads.
The team set up their base in a university building that had been converted into an IDP camp. They established makeshift accommodation, washrooms and a fully functioning medical station. “Behind our deployment was a chain of support—from the Sri Lankan President and Tri-Forces Commanders to the Defence Secretary and the Disaster Management Center and Foreign Ministry of Myanmar,” Brigadier Karunatilake said.
Surgeon Lieutenant Nuwan Jayasundara
Mobile medical camps became the heartbeat of their mission, said Consultant Emergency Physician (acting) Major (Dr.) Dilruk Ratnayake of the Army. “We preferred going into the field,” Major Ratnayake said. “We could reach more people that way, and patients trusted us.”
Many patients had no access to medications following the collapse of hospitals. With Myanmar’s healthcare system largely privatised, affordability has become another invisible killer.
Wing Commander Buddika Wanasinghe. Pix by Indika Handuwala
“We come from a country that rarely sees earthquakes, so when we were deployed, it was completely unfamiliar territory—not just in terms of geography, but culturally and medically too,” said Surgeon Lieutenant (Dr.) Nuwan Jayasundara of the Navy, a first-time responder.
Heat exceeding 35°C made rest difficult, mosquito-borne diseases like malaria were rampant, and the language barrier complicated patient care. “There were nights we couldn’t sleep even for 90 minutes,” he said. “We were in a malarial hotspot, and the local diet didn’t suit us well either.”
Despite the austere conditions—surviving on field rations and instant noodles—the team was moved by moments of solidarity. Elderly villagers kept patients and doctors cool with makeshift fans, while families shared what little food they had with the medical team as a form of gratitude.
“We need to develop a disaster response plan for Sri Lanka,” Surgeon Lieutenant Jayasundara urged. “Especially for medical officers—not just the military. “The government sector needs this training too.”
“We couldn’t rely on the host country for anything—not food, not water, not even oxygen,” Wing Commander (Dr.) Buddika Wanasinghe of the Air Force told the Sunday Times. “Every item, from temperature-sensitive medical drugs to water purifiers and generators, had to be taken with us.”
The work was not without risk. Aftershocks continued to shake the region during their deployment. “One night, we woke to find cracks in our camp building,” Wing Commander Wanasinghe recalled.
A notable aspect of the mission was Myanmar’s centralised digital patient tracking system, introduced by the Japanese disaster response team. “Every patient we treated was registered in this system,” noted Wing Commander Wanasinghe. He added that this mission was “an opportunity to represent Sri Lanka and to serve another nation in need is a profound honour.”
Every morning at 8 a.m., the Sri Lankan team reported to the DMC before attending to disaster-hit communities at IDP camps. They were accompanied by Myanmar regional medical officers and university students who served as interpreters to navigate the significant language barriers.
Their efforts shifted focus from emergency trauma to chronic illness care. The team observed a disturbing trend: young adults in their 30s already battling diabetes, likely due to overconsumption of sugary energy drinks. Leaflets containing information on how to avoid these chronic illnesses and other common diseases were also distributed as part of the team’s efforts.
The mission wasn’t carried out in isolation. Teams from Indonesia, Japan, Bangladesh, India, Chaina, Bhutan, the USA, the Philippines, and WHO representatives shared the space. While other teams focused on hospitals, Sri Lanka’s field operations drew attention. Their efforts weren’t lost on fellow Sri Lankans living in Myanmar either.
The medical unit included three doctors, a consultant, six nurses and emergency care specialists. They were supported by logistics personnel—plumbers, electricians, and water purification operators—who also helped with administrative and medical duties when needed.
Over 21 days, the team provided free medical care to more than 2,000 survivors in 16 locations within Nay Pyi Taw. Their contributions were formally recognised by Myanmar’s Ministry of Health and the Disaster Management Centre, who awarded the team certificates and tokens of appreciation.
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