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Roundup: WHO launches 31-mln-USD appeal for health, humanitarian situation in Yemen

Xinhua, December 15, 2015 Adjust font size:

The World Health Organization (WHO) and its partners on Tuesday launched a 31-million-U.S. dollar appeal to maintain critical healthcare services for 15 million Yemenis affected by the ongoing conflict.

"WHO is appealing to donors to help us meet the urgent, immediate humanitarian needs of the injured, pregnant women, malnourished children and elderly who are bearing the brunt of a collapsing health system," said Ala Alwan, director of the WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region.

"We should not allow this to continue. With sufficient funds, we can reduce the risk of disease outbreaks, provide medications and vaccinate children to reduce avoidable deaths," he added.

According to reports on the ground, the country's health and humanitarian situation has reached catastrophic levels since the conflict erupted in March this year.

WHO indicated that 100 percent of Aden Governorate's population and over 75 percent of people living in Taiz Governorate are in need of humanitarian aid, amid reports of attacks targeting the country's crippled healthcare system.

WHO reported that between March 30 and Nov. 30, 70 health facilities and 27 ambulances have been damaged. Eight health workers have lost their lives while 20 have been injured.

Fuel shortages have also compounded the critical state of Yemen's health facilities as a number of major hospitals and health facilities are unable to function optimally without the energy source.

The lack of fuel is also affecting the ability to transport food, water and medical supplies while hindering the operation of water pumps and generators.

This is rendering certain procedures including surgical operations and inpatient treatments requiring constant power supplies particularly difficult, WHO said.

"The funding requested will help WHO and our partners support vital health services in three major areas: casualty management for those injured due to the conflict, treatment for patients with chronic diseases, and disease surveillance and vaccination activities to prevent outbreaks," WHO Representative to Yemen Ahmed Shadoul explained.

The appeal comes as a new round of United Nations-brokered consultations kicked off in Switzerland in view of finding a lasting settlement in the war-torn country.

According to figures, more than 5,000 people, including women and children, have lost their lives between March 19 and Dec 8, bringing the total death toll to 5,884. Enditem