Massive losses, effects of Saudi-led coalition war on Medical sector
SANAA, March 30 (YPA) – The High Commission of Medicines and Medical Supplies in the capital Sana’a has released the latest statistics of repercussions and consequences of Saudi-led coalition war on the pharmaceutical sector in Yemen during four years of the war and siège.
“The Saudi-led coalition warplanes have bombed three pharmaceutical factories, using air strikes, which have caused serious damage and destroyed two oxygen production plants, which have been providing services to several hospitals, health centers and facilities, this led to the suspension of investment activity, especially in the field of pharmaceutical manufacturing, ” the commission said in its current report on the damages and losses of the sector.
“The Saudi-led coalition war on Yemen and total siege imposed by the coalition countries have aggravated the health situation, caused a high increase of chronic diseases, multiple epidemics, acute drug shortages, and the destruction of warehouses and pharmaceutical factories, which have caused the rise of civilian casualties,” the Commission added.
The Commission also said that 120 kinds of chronic disease medicines are currently not available in the Ministry of Health stores, especially 50% cancer medications, which has caused the death toll to increase due to the difficulty of providing medicines, as well as the high price of medicines due to the increased shipping cost and high exchange rate.
“The import rate of medicines has decreased to approximately 60% of the average import during the years prior to the aggression,” the Commission added.
“These medicine supplies are interrupted since the closure of Sanaa Airport, most of which are life-saving and needed by a wide range of patients. They cover multiple pharmaceutical fields such as blood derivatives, hormonal medications, immunotherapy, serums, blood clotting inhibitors, blood clots, resuscitation and anaesthesia medications, and some Laboratory and Diagnostic Solutions,” the report said.
The report confirmed that “the blockade has resulted in the prohibition of the entry of certain medical materials for pharmaceutical industries from various Yemeni ports, and obstruction of the arrival of shipments and medical supplies that have been granted approval documents for importation and entry into Yemen, and the imposition of restrictions and arbitrary measures on ships loaded with medications.”
On the same level, the Authority noted the effects of the Health Centre bank’s transfer from the capital Sana’a to Aden province, and said: “It has had a significant impact on the lack of medicines needed by the public sector, which were provided by the Ministry of Health to more than 800,000 patients with various chronic afflictions such as kidney transplantations, diabetes, heart disease, cancer and thalassemia.”
“It also affected the interruption of the activity of hundreds of importers due to the conditions imposed by the aggression and the disturbance of the medicines due to the exchange rate disorder.”
From the effects of the war and the blockade on the staff working in the pharmaceutical sector, the authority said: “more than 50% of pharmacists have lost their jobs. ”
“The phenomenon of smuggling is increasing and aggravated by the control of the states of the alliance of aggression and its mercenaries at the ports and seaports of the Republic of Yemen,” the commission concluded.
“The closure of the port of Hodeidah has aggravated the lack of access to pharmaceutical and medical shipments and has contributed to the spread of epidemics and increased the need of medicines and medical supplies to high levels that are difficult to provide under aggression and siege. ”
E.M