8 April 2009: The situation in Northern Rakhine State (NRS) is characterized by extremely high vulnerability, with acute concerns relating to the stateless Muslim (Rohingya) majority. Organizations involved with delivering relief assistance in NRS face serious shortfalls in their funding.

A vulnerability assessment carried out in NRS in June 2008 revealed widespread food insecurity, malnutrition and lack of safe drinking water. Only 59 percent of boys and 49 percent of girls were considered to have normal growth indicators and the percentage of the population with a deficient diet had increased to 44 percent from 33 percent since the previous year. More than half of the population, in some areas as high as 80 percent, drink water from unprotected sources.  The lack of access to potable water, sanitation, and healthcare facilities is compounded by crowded living conditions, high incidences of diarrhoea, tuberculosis, and acute respiratory infections.