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A surgeon who stop his job at a authorities hospital in protest of the coup is now risking his personal life to supply lifesaving care on the entrance traces of the battle in Kayah State
By FRONTIER
At first look, you is likely to be shocked to study that 37-year-old Dr Myo Khant Ko Ko is a extensively revered surgeon.
His hair has been bleached blonde, wound in lengthy braids that fall to his shoulders, and dyed a vibrant blue-green. Sporting aviator-style sun shades and infrequently wearing a youthful, vibrant tracksuit, or in a flashy fur-lined coat, you may suppose he was a rapper or trend icon.
However when he arrives on the clinic, he sheds his flamboyant garments for a colorless, olive-green surgical robe and his braids disappear beneath a hairnet. When Frontier first known as Myo Khant Ko Ko for a scheduled interview, on February 6, it was delayed by a sudden surgical procedure.
“The physician has arrived, we’re all prepared for surgical procedure,” Frontier may hear one of many nurses shout within the background, because the staff ready to assist a girl give delivery through caesarean part.
“Twins have been born that day. After, I had two extra surgical procedures, so I didn’t end work till the night,” Myo Khant Ko Ko informed Frontier the next day.
However the physician doesn’t simply tackle bizarre instances like childbirth. He’s additionally performed emergency surgical procedure on sufferers hit by landmines and mortars. The clinic the place he works, situated someplace in Kayah State, is staffed by docs and nurses who joined the Civil Disobedience Motion, a strike of civil servants in protest of the 2021 coup.
When the navy responded to mass peaceable protests with brutal pressure, many turned to armed resistance, carving out anti-regime strongholds in states and areas throughout the nation, together with Kayah. In some locations, CDM employees have been capable of resume offering public companies exterior of the junta’s management. Whereas the clinic is makeshift, they supply full-time emergency medical therapy, each for civilians and resistance fighters.
“We check with it as a hospital as a result of necessary surgical remedies are carried out right here,” he stated. “We don’t have full medical gear, however we depend on our expertise to supply efficient therapy with the gear we have now.”
Kayah is residence to the Karenni ethnic minority, however Myo Khant Ko Ko will not be initially from this small, mountainous state on the border with Thailand. He grew up in Mawlamyine, the capital of Mon State, earlier than going to the Magway College of Drugs after which taking a job as an assistant surgeon on the West Yangon Common Hospital. About 5 months earlier than the coup, he was transferred to the Loikaw Township Public Hospital within the Kayah capital to work as a surgical specialist.
He remembers these days as being outlined by enthusiasm and laborious work.
“Earlier than the navy coup, I used to be stuffed with desires and ambitions. I additionally had the thought of continuous my training in order that I may do superior surgical remedies resembling robotic surgical procedure. When the navy took over, my desires and life have been destroyed,” he stated.
Myo Khant Ko Ko recalled arriving at work the morning of February 1, 2021, hours after the navy seized energy, the place he mentioned what to do subsequent along with his colleagues.
“That morning on the hospital, we determined that we might oppose the navy coup. Later, I participated within the Crimson Ribbon Motion which began in Mandalay Area,” he stated, referencing one of many earliest protests when authorities healthcare employees gathered sporting pink ribbons.
A number of the docs and nurses on the Loikaw hospital joined CDM virtually instantly, happening strike on February 4 and 5, however like many others, Myo Khant Ko Ko felt conflicted between his opposition to the regime and his want to assist sufferers.
A few of his sufferers already had surgical procedures scheduled within the subsequent few days and others nonetheless wanted assist with restoration. He completed up his previous few surgical procedures, wrote out prescriptions and suggested sufferers of different clinics or hospitals they may go to.
“I joined the CDM on February 9. Earlier than that, I protested within the metropolis of Loikaw. I opposed the navy dictatorship in any means I may,” he stated.
Myo Khant Ko Ko’s childhood wasn’t all the time simple. His dad and mom divorced when he was younger, and he was principally introduced up by grandparents, who’ve since died. He didn’t have any household in Yangon or Loikaw, so he generally felt remoted and alone. His dream of changing into a health care provider helped preserve him grounded and motivated, however now he says he would quite abandon that dream than cooperate with the navy.
“I can’t work beneath any navy dictator. So, I made a decision to stop my job and was ready to seek out one other technique to make a dwelling. However as a result of the folks want us, I made a decision to proceed working, though I don’t work in a authorities hospital,” he defined.
Spurred on by issues about COVID-19, CDM healthcare employees together with Myo Khant Ko Ko established a clinic in Loikaw in March 2021. The Delta wave went on to devastate Myanmar amid a public well being breakdown attributable to the coup, the mass strike and junta crackdowns on parallel well being companies.
“As a result of we offered medical therapy to sufferers in want in Loikaw metropolis, together with Covid sufferers, we have been profitable to the purpose that our hospital was dubbed the second Loikaw Public Hospital,” stated Myo Khant Ko Ko.
However in November 2021, the navy regime raided the clinic in an try and arrest the CDM employees, forcing them to flee. Whereas no person was detained, they needed to abandon drugs and gear.
“Leaving the hospital we established was like abandoning our little one. I used to be so sorry to have to go away it like this. However it was extra necessary for folks to flee, so we needed to go away every little thing,” he stated.
Adrift, Dr Myo Khant Ko Ko determined to go to the entrance traces of the Kayah battle, the place he may proceed offering emergency therapy.
“I perceive that locations just like the entrance line and refugee camps have the best want for well being care. I additionally need to assist folks with my surgical expertise, so I made a decision to work close to the entrance line,” he stated.
Together with the Docs’ Society of Karenni, he was capable of open one other clinic modelled after the CDM hospital in Loikaw, serving as the pinnacle surgeon. He says in 2022 alone, he carried out 230 surgical procedures, with out shedding a single affected person on the working desk.
“Each time a surgical procedure is profitable, I really feel pleased with my ardour and dedication. I’m all the time proud to have the ability to present the well being care that’s wanted on the bottom,” he stated.
Dr Myo Khant Ko Ko stated his most troublesome surgical procedure to this point was treating a affected person for a extreme head wound who was injured in a bomb blast in December final yr throughout clashes with the navy. The person, who’s the commander of the anti-coup Karenni Nationalities Defence Pressure Battalion 5, had items of his cranium lacking and was unable to maneuver all the left facet of his physique.
“Once I noticed the affected person, I used to be fairly shocked,” stated Myo Khant Ko Ko. “I used to be apprehensive about whether or not we may save him as a result of the medical gear on the present hospital will not be excellent,” he stated, explaining that they don’t have a CT scan machine for head accidents, only a regular X-ray.
When he X-rayed the affected person, the occipital bone (a posterior cranial bone) was damaged, and international our bodies have been additionally current within the mind’s cerebellum and occipital lobe.
“The affected person’s occipital bone was damaged and sunk in, so we needed to take away the blood clots and re-stitch them with a Spongostan to stop an excessive amount of blood from popping out. The operation, which concerned including a drain and thoroughly re-treating the bones, took virtually 5 hours and was probably the most troublesome for me. I needed to carry out this surgical therapy utilizing all of my medical expertise with out excellent medical gear,” stated Myo Khant Ko Ko.
Including to the stress, he stated the surgical procedure was carried out amid the fixed sound of close by gunfire.
“I believed that I used to be additionally going to die,” he stated.
The surgical procedure was a hit, however the affected person didn’t instantly regain consciousness, and so was saved on the clinic for 2 weeks. By the tip of that point, he was capable of converse and transfer once more, so was transferred to a rehabilitation centre the place he underwent bodily remedy.
A few month later, Myo Khant Ko Ko acquired an invite from the affected person, who stated he needed to thank him in particular person. The surgeon arrived with a few of his colleagues, watching surprised as their affected person walked to greet them on the entrance to his residence.
“Watching him stroll was like watching an absolute miracle for me. I really feel that I can deal with any variety of sufferers with the energy I gained from this profitable surgical procedure. This success can also be a milestone that I used to be capable of attain as a health care provider throughout the revolution,” stated Myo Khant Ko Ko, voice trembling.
He nonetheless thinks about his household rather a lot, however he hasn’t spoken to them because the coup. His mom objected to him becoming a member of CDM, for security quite than political causes, however the disagreement turned extra private when he refused to heed her recommendation.
“The advantage of not having contact with my household is it retains them secure. In the event that they communicated with me, they might be in danger. However I miss my mom,” he stated sadly.
He stated that whereas his mom objected to him becoming a member of the CDM, he believes she can be pleased with his medical achievements and participation within the revolution. Myo Khant Ko Ko nonetheless desires of sooner or later having an opportunity to check drugs overseas, after which bringing his data again to Myanmar, however for now has just one precedence.
“I’m additionally afraid of dying,” he stated. “However I can’t again down. So long as there’s a navy dictator, I’ll proceed to fulfil my obligation by treating sufferers on the bottom. We’ll by no means surrender on the revolution.”
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