Violence still stunts humanitarian efforts in Yemen, UN warns

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said that three weeks of conflict and airstrikes have severely disrupted the supply and availability of food, fuel, water and electricity across Yemen, UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric told reporters here Tuesday.

At a daily news briefing here, Dujarric quoted the World Food Programme (WFP) as saying that food and other items have nearly disappeared from most markets and shops in conflict-affected governorates.

"According to humanitarian partners, an estimated two million children are affected by the extended closure of more than 3,750 schools across Yemen," he said.

At least 48 schools have been damaged and 49 schools are reportedly occupied either by armed groups or being used as shelters by displaced people, the spokesman said.

The World Health Organization (WHO) is warning of the imminent collapse of health care services in Yemen, he said. "Health facilities are facing increasing shortages of life-saving medicines and vital health supplies, frequent disruptions in power supply and lack of fuel for generators."

Power cuts and fuel shortages were also threatening to disrupt the UN agency's ongoing vaccine operation, leaving millions of children under the age of five unvaccinated and at increased risk of communicable diseases like measles and polio, WHO said.

In addition, limited access to safe water has led to a spike in cases of bloody diarrhoea in children below five, as well as increased cases of measles and suspected malaria.

Before the current conflict broke out, Yemen was ranked the 50th out of 194 countries in terms of highest under five mortality rate, which added to the burden already facing the country's children, according to WHO. Endite