A severe lack of medical supplies is hampering efforts to respond to the deadly earthquake in Myanmar, the United Nations said Saturday, adding that those affected needed urgent humanitarian aid.The UN said it was mobilising emergency response efforts, alongside humanitarian partner organisations, following the huge earthquake that struck on Friday leaving more than 1,600 people dead in Myanmar and neighbouring Thailand.’As the full scale of the disaster unfolds, urgent humanitarian assistance is needed to support those affected,’ the UN humanitarian agency OCHA said in a statement.It said the response was being hindered by a lack of medical supplies, along with damaged roads and communications infrastructure.’A severe shortage of medical supplies is hampering response efforts, including trauma kits, blood bags, anaesthetics, assistive devices, essential medicines, and tents for health workers,’ OCHA said.The agency said hospitals and health facilities had sustained extensive damage or had been destroyed.’Telecommunications and internet disruptions continue to hinder humanitarian communications and operations. Damaged roads and debris are obstructing humanitarian access and complicating needs assessments,’ it added.
