Yemen

Our response

Supporting health authorities 
We continue to support COVID-19 treatment centres at Al-Kuwait hospital and  Al-Jumhouri hospitals, as well as local health authorities at Al-Sahul COVID-19 centre, with intensive care, nursing care, provision of medication, health promotion, training in personal protective equipment (PPE), infection prevention and control, and paying incentives for health workers.

Equipping healthcare staff
We are supporting medical teams with donations of PPE and training staff on triage, isolation, and referrals for COVID-19 suspect cases, intensive care unit care for confirmed cases, and infection prevention and control measures.  

Testing and triage
Our teams continue to set-up screening and triage and identify potential cases in various hospitals throughout Yemen. 

MSF-run healthcare facilities
Our COVID-19 treatment unit in Khamer treats patients with respiratory infections and suspected moderate cases of COVID-19. We also receive suspected moderate cases of COVID-19 in Haydan, and have run the Al-Sadaqa COVID-19 treatment centre in Aden since April 2021.

Since March 2015, a Saudi and Emirati-led coalition has been fighting anti-government Ansar Allah forces, resulting in widespread destruction, bombing and gun battles.

According to the Yemen Data Project, more than 16,000 air raids have been recorded in the last three years - roughly 15 a day.

The healthcare system has been decimated: medical staff have fled the country, facilities have been destroyed and medical supplies cut.

Collapsed Health System

Ordinary people are bearing the brunt of this brutal conflict. Indiscriminate bombings have destroyed much of the country’s public infrastructure, including hospitals. Many of the country’s 50,000 health workers have not been paid since 2016 and have consequently left the public health system, forced to look for other sources of income.

Citizens experience airstrikes and sniper attacks, and endure severe water shortages. A fuel blockade has further contributed to this humanitarian crisis. The Saudi-led coalition’s continued blockage of the main aid routes into the country is another, particularly punitive, measure against a defenseless civilian population.