WHO steps up health response in Yemen as humanitarian situation worsens

The World Health Organization (WHO) on Monday launched a rapid health response in southern governorates of Yemen to address the growing humanitarian crisis in the war-torn country.

According to WHO, thousands of people have been injured in Taiz governorate since the start of March, with over 350 causalities recorded in the last one week alone. The escalating crisis in the governorate has seen a breakdown in the health system.

Among of providing emergency health access to the injured, internally displaced persons and host communities, WHO donated local trauma kits sufficient to conduct 1,000 surgeries, one surgical supply kit, 15 dressing kits, 40 first aid bags and anaesthesia medicines to treat the increasing numbers of injured patients in governorates.

And in Hodeida governorate and Tehama region, where the crisis has equally escalated, WHO has donated emergency trauma kits, interagency emergency health kits and other medical supplies sufficient to treat over 4,500 patients in Al Thawra hospital and Bajel renal dialysis centre to address the immediate health needs.

"WHO is committed to ensuring that all Yemenis continue to have access to health services, including those in the hardest to access areas through the provision of emergency lifesaving medicines, trauma kits, interagency emergency health kits, diarrhoeal disease kits and blood bank supplies which currently are urgently needed," said Ahmed Shadoul, WHO Representative for Yemen.

"In Taiz, the ongoing crisis has led to the closure of many health facilities and access to health facilities for the injured civilians and doctors is almost becoming impossible. shortages of basic and lifesaving medicines, medical supplies, laboratory reagents in the health facilities are fast dwindling with limited access for replenishing," added Shadoul.

Since March 2015, WHO has supported treatment of an estimated 23,000 trauma and surgical cases countrywide. The agency has also supported 18 hospitals in seven of the most affected governorates with physicians, surgeons, gynaecologists, psychiatrics and nutritionist to manage the increasing patient caseloads.

In light of WHO's response and the growing health needs, the UN health agency is appealing for 132 million U.S. dollars to support health interventions until the end of 2015 but has only received 25 million dollars, leaving a funding gap of 81 percent.

WHO said in the coming month the health situation is expected to deteriorate further among the displaced people and host communities due to the continued crisis and escalating needs. Endit