Dr. Myint Htwe, the former Union Minister for Health and Sports under the National League for Democracy (NLD) government, passed away on 26 January 2026, at approximately 5:43 pm, local time at Bumrungrad Hospital in Bangkok, Thailand.
His family confirmed the news through social media, noting that the 77-year-old public health veteran had been receiving medical treatment in Thailand prior to his passing.
“I would like to inform relatives and friends that my eldest brother, Dr. Myint Htwe, passed away at Bumrungrad Hospital in Bangkok, Thailand, on 26 January 2026, at 5:43 pm local time,” posted family member U Min Han Htay.
A distinguished epidemiologist and international health expert, Dr. Myint Htwe spent 16 years with the World Health Organization (WHO) before joining the civilian government in 2016. He is best remembered for his steady leadership during the initial waves of the COVID-19 pandemic in Myanmar, where he gained public trust for his focus on evidence-based prevention and transparent communication.
On the morning of the 1 February 2021 military coup, Dr. Myint Htwe posted a final message to the Ministry’s Facebook page, stating he could no longer perform his duties and urging the public and health workers to remain dedicated to pandemic safety measures.
Although briefly detained by the military following the takeover, he was released shortly thereafter and had remained largely away from the political spotlight while managing his health.
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