Since 2014, Yemen has experienced widespread conflict, leaving over two-thirds of its population (21.6 million people) in need of humanitarian assistance. The majority of those in need of this assistance are women and children. Over 17 million people in Yemen cannot afford sufficient food to meet their daily needs and 4.5 million people are internally displaced. Long-lasting violence, ongoing economic crisis, mounting food insecurity and recurring disease outbreaks, also caused by climate events, have led to the near collapse of the country’s health system. Across Yemen, 46% of all health facilities are only partially functioning or completely out of service due to shortages of staff, funds, electricity, medicines, and equipment.
WHO is providing life-saving medical and health-care services to 12.6 million Yemenis through a sustained and integrated health response, with a focus on treating acute malnutrition; supporting and improving maternal and newborn health care; strengthening disease surveillance to better respond to infectious disease outbreaks; fighting chronic diseases including diabetes, renal diseases, and cancer; maintaining water, sanitation and hygiene services (WASH) to strengthen infection prevention and control measures in hospitals; and responding to a neglected mental health crisis.
