Disease outbreaks have not occurred following the majority of tropical cyclones in the past several decades, primarily because of timely humanitarian response, which incorporates immediate prevention strategies including provision of adequate water and sanitation, and vaccination campaigns. The underlying population health status of the Burmese population and environmental factors place the population at increased risk of disease. In the aftermath of Cyclone Nargis, where humanitarian assistance is delayed and woefully inadequate in scale, the risk of disease outbreaks is especially high.

Laut offizieller Angaben gibt es in jeder Region ein großes Krankenhaus, daneben kleine Gesundheitszentren und lokale Kooperationen mit gut ausgebildetem Personal. Tatsächlich erstreckt sich das Gesundheitssystem nur auf das zentrale Drittel des Landes.