ICRC warns of collapse of dialysis treatment in Yemen

SANAA, April 19 (YPA) – The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) warned today of a complete collapse of the health situation of patients with kidney failure in Yemen.

“The health situation of patients with renal failure is on the brink of collapse unless the concerned bodies, local and international organizations move quickly to save the lives of thousands of renal failure patients,” the (ICRC) said in a press conference in Aden.

On the sideline of the conference, Carlos Batas said that “25 % of kidney failure patients in Yemen die every year due to lack of treatment”, as well as the deterioration of the general health situation in the country which has been ravaging by the war for more than three years.

He added, “we are keen to hold a press conference to highlight the suffering of patients with renal failure, and to mobilize support at the local and international levels to save what can be saved.”

He also pointed out that thousands of Yemenis are facing death, unless the country’s 32 blood-purification centers, distributed in 15 of the 23 governorates, are supported.

Moreover, he confirmed that the organization currently supports five dialysis centers in the governorates of Sana’a, Mahweet, Hajjah, Aden, and Shabwa. He added that the support provided by the organization for dialysis centers will end next December.

According to previous statistics from the Ministry of Health, the number of cases of kidney failure amounted to 5,000 cases, one-third of them lack the access to health care due to the conflict in the country as well as the difficulty for patients to transfer between governorates due to the insecurity.

Source: website

Emad