Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh are increasingly vulnerable to contracting HIV and other sexually transmitted infections, medical experts say.

According to latest data released by the Bangladeshi government, 395 Rohingya living in refugee camps in Cox's Bazar have so far been infected with the deadly virus, with 105 new cases identified this year.

Read more: Rohingya people in Myanmar: What you need to know

The real number of those infected could be much higher than the official figure, say experts. They call on authorities to put in place measures to check the spread of the diseases.

The Rohingya are an ethnic minority in Myanmar originating from the Indian subcontinent. For several centuries they have lived predominantly in Myanmar's western state of Rakhine — also known as Arakan. They are predominately Muslim.

They are not officially recognized by the government as citizens, and for decades Myanmar's Buddhist majority has been accused of subjecting them to discrimination and violence.

More than 730,000 Rohingya fled Rakhine after the Myanmar military launched a crackdown in 2017 and were forced into squalid camps across the border in Bangladesh.

Watch video 04:03 Share Militants in Rohingya camps? Send Facebook google+ Whatsapp Tumblr linkedin stumble Digg reddit Newsvine Permalink https://p.dw.com/p/3Q8Yl Are militants tightening grip on Rohingya refugee camps?

The HIV crisis

A few months after the Rohingyas' arrival in Cox's Bazar, Bangladeshi authorities — with the support of non-governmental organizations — carried out medical tests and identified 85 HIV cases.

And the number has been on the rise since then.

A study conducted by the medical science publication, the Lancet, showed that by August 2018, 273 cases of HIV had been officially recorded among the Rohingya in Bangladesh. That number rose to 319 as of March 8, 2019, with more undiagnosed cases likely, according to the journal.

Among the 319 HIV cases, 277 were taking medication and 19 had died, Lancet said.

Meanwhile, data published by Bangladesh's Health Ministry recently put the total number of HIV infections among the Rohingya at 395.

Read more: Rohingya refugees: Community radio program warns against renewed flight

Lack of awareness and social stigma

Public health experts say a lack of awareness about sexually transmitted infections as well as social stigma are hindering efforts to tackle the problem.

Inside Bangladesh's isolated 'Rohingya island' Far from the mainland Bhasan Char, which means "floating island" in Bengali language, emerged less than 20 years ago in the Bay of Bengal. The island is located 30 kilometers (18.6 miles) away from mainland Bangladesh. The government of the Muslim-majority country plans to relocate some 100,000 Rohingya refugees to this island from overcrowded Cox's Bazar refugee camps.

Inside Bangladesh's isolated 'Rohingya island' No easy transportation There is no proper transport for the common people to go to the island. Some people told DW that the roughness of the sea makes it difficult to reach the island on boats during the monsoon season.

Inside Bangladesh's isolated 'Rohingya island' Protected by embankment? The government has erected a 13-kilometer-long and 3-meter-high embankment to protect the island from high tides and floods. Still, the outer part of the embankment goes 3 to 4 feet underwater twice a month during high tides, according to the island's shopkeepers.

Inside Bangladesh's isolated 'Rohingya island' Identical buildings The government has built 1,440 single-storey buildings, with 16 rooms in each, to house the Rohingya refugees. At least four members of a family have to live in a small room. 120 four-storey shelter houses are also available, to be used during cyclones.

Inside Bangladesh's isolated 'Rohingya island' Solar power for energy All buildings at Bhasan Char are equipped with solar panels to fulfil their energy demands. A big solar field and two diesel generators for electricity have also been installed. The island has a rainwater harvesting system as well as tube wells to provide drinking water.

Inside Bangladesh's isolated 'Rohingya island' Protection from erosion The silt island is called a "floating island" due to its unstable nature. Satellite images detected the island in 2002. Bangladeshi authorities have built a structure with pylons, gravel and sandbags to stop the erosion of the island.

Inside Bangladesh's isolated 'Rohingya island' Is the island uninhabitable? While some experts say the island is still very fragile and uninhabitable, climate change specialist Ainun Nishat is of the opinion that people can live here if the embankment is heightened to 6.5 to 7 meters. However, he doesn't think that farming is possible on the island.

Inside Bangladesh's isolated 'Rohingya island' Rohingya fear cyclone, drowning The refugees fear they could die as a result of a cyclone if they are forcibly moved to the island. Many of their children could drown in the sea, they say.

Inside Bangladesh's isolated 'Rohingya island' Will Rohingya move there? While the island is almost ready to host Rohingya refugees, the government has yet to make a decision on transferring them to it. Several sources say the relocation could take place in November. The Bangladeshi government has hinted it might have to force the refugees to go there if no one chooses to leave the Cox's Bazar's refugee settlements. Author: Arafatul Islam, Naomi Conrad



Like in other conservative societies, the Rohingya often ostracize any member of their community infected with HIV. For fear of becoming an outcast, those with HIV hesitate to seek medical help, Mohammad Abdul Matin, a doctor working in Cox's Bazar, told DW.

Many Rohingya also view HIV in the same vein as normal illnesses like a cough or fever, said Asif Hossain, a medical officer working at the Dhaka-based Population Services and Training Center.

"It's been difficult to convince them about the seriousness of the disease," Hossain told DW. "Many patients even ignore the doctor's advice when it comes to issues like sexual intercourse."

Immediate attention needed

To prevent the crisis from getting worse, Lancet said, authorities need to pay immediate attention to raise the Rohingya's awareness of HIV and bring about behavioral change.

The publication also urged that existing health-care providers be empowered to identify and to treat people with HIV. It also called on the Bangladeshi government and relevant international agencies to recognize HIV as a priority "to prevent the negative health and socioeconomic consequences of this latent epidemic."

Many international agencies have been active in the refugee camps to offer public health support to the Rohingya. These organizations also provide HIV screening services to the patients.

But these screening centers are not sufficient to address the needs of around a million refugees in need of humanitarian assistance, experts said.

Abdul Matin, the doctor, said there's a high need to increase the number of HIV screening centers in the camps.

He also stressed the importance of organizing a massive awareness-raising campaign among the refugees. This, the doctor said, could push the Rohingya to come to the medical camps and screening centers, where they could seek help. "When they come to seek medical care for usual diseases, we check their HIV status as well," Abdul Matin said.

Health expert Hossain also believes raising awareness is the only way to put a check on the spread of the HIV crisis among the Rohingya.