Navigating the Israeli-Palestinian Quagmire: Toward a Peaceful Future
November 17, 2023
The Israeli-Palestinian Dilemma: A Critical Examination of Historical Injustices and Ongoing Humanitarian Crisis
November 19, 2023
Shanza Rehan
Since the 2014 multilateral civil war, the crisis in Yemen is not just about armed conflict or military assault; it is also about the economy falling apart. The deteriorating economy is affecting the common man the most. Life has become tougher for the civilians, who are the ones bearing the burnt for this war. Their health, homes, and ability to get proper medical care are all taking a hit. It is brutal for people to lose their loved ones to basic diseases all because of a lack of basic medical infrastructure.
The healthcare system in Yemen is on the brink of collapse with only 51 percent of the health facilities considered to be fully operational as per the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). Many facilities lack staff, due to a shortage of medical workers and funds. Functional equipment and essential medical supplies, especially in rural areas are also in deficit. The healthcare industry in Yemen has taken a hit due to the naval blockade imposed by Saudi Arabia, a strategic action taken to prevent arms supply to the rebel Houthi insurgents, a Shia group. The group is backed by Iran and the civil war started when they took over the Saudi-supported legitimized government under President Abd Rabbu Mansour Hadi. When the rebels captured the state capital and forced the government to resign, Saudi took it upon itself and form a coalition with the UAE as a part of it and started conducting airstrikes against the rebellion, a broader Shia-Sunni divide. They attempted to isolate Yemen economically and also placed a naval blockade to cut off the Houthi groups of supplies provided by Iran. The United States naval is also posted in the waters and is confiscating all Iranian-owned weapons. This has caused an economic crisis leading to disruption in everyday commodities supply.
A fuel crisis, inflation, poor living conditions, and expensive transportation have caused major distress for the people who lack homes and jobs. At the primary healthcare level, gaps are present in both services and quality of care, especially in the centers that are supported by the Doctors Without Borders organization. There is an overwhelming amount of patients; individuals with conditions like kidney failure or cancer face a dire situation in public hospitals. Due to the increasing costs, the internally displaced are at a greater risk. In 2022, the admission rate of pediatric units in Ad Dahl Hospital has jumped by 65 percent. The wards have doubled the capacity from 20 to 40 beds and in Taiz Houban, more than 9,000 cases had to be redirected to other health facilities due to lack of equipment.
In 2023, nearly 21.6 million people need some sort of humanitarian aid; nearly 8- percent of the state’s population is suffering to buy food and other basic human needs. Malnutrition is the result of such circumstances. Food insecurity is on high rise with children suffering the most. Many die without realizing its cause especially children under five years of age. Vaccine-related diseases are also on the rise. More than 22,000 cases of measles have been recorded with a spike of 9,000 more in 2023. Cases of tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis, or whooping cough, are also on the rise, as are deaths from each disease. Moreover, the lack of immunization has had a major negative socio-economic impact on households, which face unaffordable hospitalization costs. With the rapid decline in immunization coverage, an atypically high mortality rate is expected to increase, especially if malnutrition rates continue to rise.
Dr. Annette Heinzelmann, who is the health emergencies team lead from the World Health Organization in Yemen, gave an update on the health crisis in the United Nations press briefing:
Good morning to you all and thank you for this opportunity to share an update on the health crisis in Yemen – where nine years of armed conflict have left 21.6 of 31.5 million people in acute need of humanitarian and protection services, and about 12.9 million people are targeted by urgent humanitarian health care.
540,000 Yemeni children under age five are currently suffering from severe acute malnutrition with a direct risk of death. 46 percent of health facilities across the country are only partially functioning or completely out of service due to shortages of staff, funds, electricity, or medicines.
Recent political talks have raised new hopes that lasting peace might finally be achievable in Yemen. Nevertheless, the country’s fragile health system is severely overburdened and edging closer to collapse, while international donor funding is insufficient to avert further deterioration of the country’s failing health services.
As of the first of April, the Yemen Health Cluster – composed of 46 UN and non-governmental organizations — has received only 62 million – or 16 percent — of the US$392 million needed to reach 12.9 million most vulnerable people with urgent and life-saving health assistance.
Disease outbreaks – notably of measles, diphtheria, dengue, cholera, and polio – are accelerating Yemen’s deepening health crisis. Mass displacements, overburdened health facilities, disruptions of water and sanitation networks, and low immunization coverage are triggering and spreading these disease outbreaks.
In the first quarter of 2023, more than 13,000 new cases of measles, 8,777 cases of dengue fever, and 2,080 suspected cholera cases were reported. But the actual numbers are likely much higher, due to gaps in surveillance systems.
WHO has managed to sustain an integrated response to Yemen’s health crisis in ten priority areas: coordinating the national Health Cluster; keeping therapeutic feeding centers (TFCs) operational; strengthening disease surveillance; responding to all infectious disease outbreaks; supporting health care facilities and services; controlling vector-borne, water-borne, and neglected tropical diseases; fighting chronic diseases including diabetes, renal diseases, and cancer; maintaining water, sanitation and hygiene services in health facilities to strengthen infection prevention and control measures; supporting and improving maternal and newborn health care; and responding to a neglected mental health crisis.
The issue has become a forgotten one and a lot of efforts by other states, human rights organizations, and other transnational organizations need to be done. The doctor’s speech points towards the crucial need for action by the world. The broader implications of these challenges highlight the fragile state of Yemen’s healthcare system, with limited resources and a workforce grappling with adversities. To navigate these complexities, urgent attention and concerted efforts are imperative to address not only the immediate needs but also to foster sustainable solutions. The well-being of the most vulnerable, especially the children and the old affected, relies on our collective commitment to alleviating the healthcare crisis in Yemen and building a resilient foundation for the future.
References:
https://www.cfr.org/global-conflict-tracker/conflict/war-yemen
https://www.unfpa.org/yemen-crisis-women-and-girls
The author is a student of International Relations.
