Sanaa held coalition responsible for deterioration of health situation, spread of epidemics in Yemen

SANAA, Dec. 27 (YPA) – The Ministry of Public Health and Population in Sanaa on Tuesday held the US-backed Saudi-led coalition responsible for the deterioration of the health situation and the spread of epidemics in Yemen.

In a press conference held today in Sanaa on the occasion of the International Day of Epidemic Preparedness, the Ministry called international organizations working in the health sector to carry out their responsibilities, continue to support the health system, and focus on enhancing preparedness for epidemics as a priority.

In the conference statement, which was read by the ministry spokesperson, Dr. Anis Al-Asbahi, the ministry expressed its surprise at the United Nations’ call on all countries of the world to commemorate the International Epidemic Preparedness Day (December 27), forgetting the catastrophic humanitarian situation left by the aggression and blockade on Yemen.

The ministry called on the United Nations and its organizations and bodies to pressure to stop the aggression, lift the blockade, and open Sanaa International Airport to enhance measures to prepare for and control epidemics.

The statement reviewed the strategies of disease control and surveillance programs, pointing to the effects and repercussions of the aggression on the epidemiological situation in Yemen.

The statement also reviewed a number of statistics of epidemiological diseases during the year 2022 in several provinces, indicating that there were 2,106,534 cases of upper respiratory diseases, and 1,150,614 cases of watery diarrhea, of which 46 died, while the number of infected people with lower respiratory diseases reached 760,656 cases died, of which seven cases died.

According to the statistics, the number of severe acute respiratory infections reached 4,550 cases, of which 322 died, while those infected with bloody diarrhea reached 47,550 cases, and the number of suspected cases of cholera during the same year 2022 reached 14,508 cases, of which 8 died, while the number of typhoid cases reached 196,287 cases, of which one died, and measles cases reached 18,597 cases, of which 131 died.

The number of people infected with polio reached 226 cases, 1,136,360 cases with malaria, of which 19 died, 28,157 cases with dengue fever, of which 37 died, while cases of viral hepatitis B and C reached 20,248 cases, of which two died, The people with Viral hepatitis “A and E” 14,039 cases, and 1,105 cases with diphtheria, of which 76 died.

The statement stressed the importance of using this occasion to promote awareness, exchange information, scientific knowledge, best practices, quality education and advocacy programs on epidemics at the local, national, regional and global levels as measures to prevent and respond to epidemics.

The statement pointed to the factors that led to the deterioration of the epidemiological situation in Yemen, the most important of which is displacement, the spread of skin and respiratory diseases, the lack of water and sanitation, the targeting of health facilities by direct and indirect bombardment, the lack of oil derivatives in health facilities, the prevention of the entry of diagnostic devices, vital medicines, laboratory reagents and antiserums, in addition to cutting Spare parts for sewage treatment plants.

On the sidelines of the conference, an event was held that discussed a paper on immunity, immunization and nutrition presented by the Advisor to the Ministry of Health, Dr. Ali Al-Madwahi, and six researches from the field epidemiology training program were presented.

YPA