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WHO airlifts critical medical supplies to Yemen
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WHO announced today that the agency has airlifted 200 metric tons of medical supplies — including insulin vials, antibiotics, rabies vaccines and IV fluids — to war-torn Yemen.
“Health facilities and hospitals in Yemen desperately need to replenish their stocks,” Nevio Zagaria, MD, MPH, a WHO representative in Yemen, said in a press release. “These shipments are crucial to keeping facilities functioning and providing patients with life-saving health care.”
In Yemen, a Saudi Arabia-led multinational coalition has been fighting Shia Houthi rebels. The conflict and a blockade imposed by the coalition has made it difficult for international aid workers to enter the country and provide relief. The country has experienced the largest cholera outbreak in modern history, with more than 1 million suspected cases and 2,200 deaths. Malnutrition and diphtheria have also heavily affected the population.
“WHO demands unhindered and sustained access to all areas of Yemen to stop these unconscionable deaths from malnutrition, cholera and now diphtheria,” WHO spokesperson Tarik Jasarevic told Infectious Disease News. “The recent blockade of air and sea ports has seriously impacted WHO’s operations and limited our ability to re-stock supplies. If we cannot bring in medicines and medical supplies, we cannot save lives.”
According to WHO, almost 16.4 million people lack access to health care in Yemen. Hospitals and health care facilities have been experiencing “serious” shortages of medicine and medical supplies for almost 3 years, and they also lack specialized medical personnel.
Jasarevic said Yemen’s health system is “on the verge of collapse,” with more than half of all health care facilities closed or only partially functioning. Additionally, 30,000 critical health workers have not been paid regular salaries in more than a year.
“There are no doctors left in nearly 20% of Yemen’s districts,” he said.
WHO said four U.N. planes carrying the cargo landed in Sana’a International Airport this week.
Regarding the violence, WHO is calling “on the warring parties to bring hostilities to an end and to cease all attacks on civilian infrastructure, including health facilities,” Jasarevic said. – by John Schoen
Reference:
WHO. Yemen Cholera Response. Weekly epidemiology bulletin, 8–14 January 2018. http://www.emro.who.int/images/stories/yemen/cholera_week_2.pdf?ua=1. Accessed January 18, 2018.
Disclosure: Zagaria is a WHO representative.