Growing conflict, insecurity, COVID-19, and a failing economy, has rendered some three million Burmese in in need of life-saving humanitarian assistance across Myanmar, the UN Emergency Relief Coordinator said on Monday, according to the UN News Service.

“The humanitarian situation in Myanmar is deteriorating”, Martin Griffiths said in a statement, adding that “without an end to violence and a peaceful resolution of Myanmar’s crisis, this number will only rise”.

Since a military takeover on 1 February ousted the democratically elected Government, hundreds of thousands of people have been forced to flee their homes due to violent crackdowns across the country.

Humanitarian workers have reached more than 1.67 million people in Myanmar with food, cash and nutrition assistance this year alone and although they are ready to do more, remain barred from access and extra funding is proving hard to come by.

“Access to many people in desperate need across the country remains extremely limited due to bureaucratic impediments put in place by the armed forces”, Mr. Griffiths explained.

He called on the Myanmar armed forces and all parties to “facilitate safe, rapid and unimpeded humanitarian access” and on the international community to “fund the response”.

Less than half of the $385 million required under the Humanitarian Response Plan and Interim Emergency Response Plan launched after the armed forces’ takeover has been received.

“The people of Myanmar need our help to ensure that their basic rights are upheld and they can live with dignity”, said the Emergency Relief Coordinator.