The O-1 Medical Team, a healthcare service offered in the resistance-controlled areas of Karenni State, announced on Sunday that its hospital had performed a total of 499 major surgeries, including 195 emergency surgeries, in 2024.
“We used to warn patients and their guardians that their lives may be in danger at any time not because of the surgeries but because of the regime’s airstrikes,” Soe Yan Naing, a O-1 surgeon, told DVB.
“There was one time that we, including the patient who received surgery inside the operating room, had to run toward the bunker due to airstrikes.”
The O-1 Medical Team stated on Jan. 19 that it had treated over 4,000 people injured in the fighting between resistance and regime forces, or for existing health issues.
“We have been facing many difficulties and challenges, running the hospital and providing medical support to the people, but we promise that we will continue our good work in 2025 with the help of donors inside and outside of the country,” added Soe Yan Naing.
The O-1 Medical Team also provides care at two clinics, where internally displaced persons (IDPs) and members of the resistance can receive free medical treatment four days per week. It stated 614.7 million MMK ($136,602 USD) was spent on maintaining its medical services in 2024.
Medical students at the University of Medicines (1) Yangon Students’ Union established O-1 Medical Team in May 2021 following the violent crackdown on peaceful anti-coup protests by the military.
Its members, who had joined the Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM) following the Feb. 1, 2021 coup, fled to Karenni State and opened the first O-1 clinic before establishing a hospital on May 24, 2021.
“There were 20 people when we started operating the hospital. But now, we have over 50 people running [operations],” said an O-1 Medical Team spokesperson.
The O-1 Medical Team, along with Nway Oo Kyan Mar Clinic and We Support Heroes, launched a fundraising campaign from May 31 to June 30 last year called “Project Jivaka.”
It aimed to collect 300 million MMK ($64,655 USD) to allow the three local groups to continue providing free access to medical care to the IDPs and members of the Karenni resistance.