2023-09-24 01:05:32
World Health Organization Warns of Worsening Health Crisis in Yemen
The World Health Organization (WHO) has issued a warning about the deteriorating health crisis in Yemen and the potential for the spread of numerous diseases due to a lack of funding. The United Nations organization stated that over the past five years, the funding gap has widened to a critical point, resulting in significant cuts in aid that will directly impact the provision of life-saving health services to the most vulnerable groups.
The WHO emphasized that these severe funding cuts will lead to millions of diseases, widespread hunger, and limited access to healthcare services, ultimately exacerbating the already dire situation. The concerning trend of declining funding is adding to the crisis. While the coverage rate reached 87 percent in 2019, funding has dropped to over 50 percent in 2022, and by August 2023, only 31.2 percent of the requested amount of $4.34 billion had been received.
The urgency for continued support from the international community to meet the increasing needs cannot be overstated, as the humanitarian crisis in Yemen remains unchanged. After eight years of war between pro-government forces backed by Saudi Arabia and the Iran-backed Houthis, Yemen is already the poorest country in the Arabian Peninsula, and the conflict has exacerbated its conditions, plunging it into one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises. According to the World Bank, the country’s gross domestic product has halved as a result.
In February, the WHO appealed for $392 million before a donor conference led by the United Nations in Geneva in order to prevent the potential collapse of the health sector in Yemen. The organization had highlighted that approximately half of the health facilities in the country were only partially functioning or completely out of service due to various challenges such as lack of staff, funds, electricity, medicines, supplies, and equipment.
Adham Abdel Moneim Ismail, the WHO representative in Yemen, emphasized the urgent need for solid support to prevent the collapse of the country’s health system. He stated that new funding amounting to $392 million was required to ensure that health facilities can continue providing services to 12.9 million people, including 540,000 children under the age of five who are suffering from acute malnutrition with an immediate risk of death.
This plea comes ahead of a donor meeting organized by the United Nations, Switzerland, and Sweden. The United Nations estimates that 21.6 million people, two-thirds of Yemen’s population, will require humanitarian aid and protection services in 2023. The international community must act swiftly to address the escalating health crisis in Yemen and provide the necessary funding to prevent further suffering and loss of life.]
#worse #World #Health #Organization #warns #critical #point #Yemen