WHO Provides Assistance to Flood-Affected Regions in Yemen

Sana’a: In urgent response to the needs of the communities affected by floods in Yemen, the World Health Organization (WHO) has provided emergency health and laboratory supplies, supported specialized trauma teams and joined field missions with national health authorities and other humanitarian partners.
 
Triggered by the heavy seasonal rains, extensive floodings have ravaged several governorates in the Middle Eastern country since mid-July 2022. 
 
Tens of thousands of people have been affected so far, with more than 35 000 households impacted across 85 districts in 16 governorates, according to local authorities.

At least 77 people, including children, were killed in Al Bayda, Amran, Dhamar, Hajja, Ma’rib, and Sana’a governorates. 
 
In addition, displacement sites and infrastructure – including water supply, public services, and private properties – were severely damaged.
 
WHO supported four specialized trauma teams and 6 on-duty ambulances on the ground, as well as set up 34 epidemiological early warning detection points in Ma’rib – one of the most affected governorates – where thousands of shelters for displaced families were destroyed. 
 
Additional essential emergency health supplies were also released to the rapid response and emergency medical teams in Hajjah, Al Mahaweet, and Raymah governorates.
 
Along with its constant monthly supply of 144 600 litres of fuel to 11 hospitals, WHO, jointly with the sub-national health cluster, had also prepared a comprehensive heavy rainfall and floods preparedness and response plan in Al Hodeidah governorate, provided the Central Public Health Laboratory with equipment, and trained 25 laboratory technicians on the microscopic diagnosis of malaria.
 
“The risk of water- and vector-borne diseases, including malaria, cholera and other communicable diseases is unfolding,” said Dr Adham Rashad, WHO Representative to Yemen, in a press release on Wednesday.
 
“With heavy rains expected to continue until the end of August 2022, we have scaled up our response to reach affected people and prevent any potential outbreak of these diseases,” he added.
 
Additional cholera kits, IV fluids, rapid diagnostic tests for cholera, and supplementary modules of the interagency emergency health kit are under way. 
 

(WAH)