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Health, education systems in Yemen at risk of collapse, senior UN official warns

Xinhua, November 20, 2015 Adjust font size:

A senior UN humanitarian official on Thursday warned that the health and education systems in Yemen are at the brink of collapse after wrapping up a three-day visit to the Middle East country, UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric told reporters here.

The director of operations of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), John Ging, made the statement following his visit to the country on Nov. 15-17, Dujarric said at a daily news briefing here.

Ging said that eight months of conflict had a devastating effect on all aspects of life in Yemen, with the health and education sectors suffering the most, the spokesman said.

"A sharp reduction in imports and a ban on exports have reduced public and commercial revenues, resulting in collapsing services and livelihoods."

Ging called on all parties to the conflict to respect international humanitarian law, adding that it is unacceptable to prevent aid deliveries or to steal humanitarian supplies, Dujarric said, adding that he also appealed for the immediate lifting of the siege on Taiz and an end to the bureaucratic obstacles to aid delivery inside Yemen.

About six months of escalating violence across Yemen has left over 20 million people in hunger and in need of emergency aid as the people have limited access to electricity, fuel, food, water and medicine since the civil war broke out in late March.

Forces loyal to the exiled government have recently achieved victories against the Shiite Houthi group.

The coalition launched airstrikes on a daily basis since March 26 when Yemen's President Abdrabbuh Mansour Hadi fled to Riyadh to take refuge, aiming to restore Hadi's authority in the country.

Hadi's forces have recaptured five southern provinces including the port city of Aden since July. Enditem