Over 540 people have been killed and 1,700 injured in the fierce fighting in Yemen in the past few weeks with relief agencies on Tuesday warning of a dire situation due to dwindling supplies in the strife-torn Arabian Peninsula state.
“More than 540 people have been killed and 1,700 injured in the violence in Yemen between March 19 and April 6,” WHO spokesman Christian lindmeier said as humanitarian and political crisis deepened in Yemen due to fighting between rebels and loyalists of President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi.
UNICEF, meanwhile, said at least 74 children have been confirmed killed and 44 maimed since March 26, but added that it believed the toll to be far higher.
“And this is a conservative estimate and we expect death toll of children to be much higher. These children should be accorded immediate special respect and protection by all parties to the conflict in line with international humanitarian law,” UNICEF spokesperson spokesperson Christophe Boulierac said.
Relief agencies have warned of a dire situation as they are facing a biggest challenge of providing urgent medical and other supplies in the Arabian Peninsula state, where a Saudi-led coalition is waging an air war on the Iran-backed Huthi Shiite rebels.
“The access on the ground is most problematic. Since the conflict escalated we have been able to provide eight inter-agency health kits for 2,40,000 beneficiaries but that comes from the warehouses in Sanaa and Aden so they come from materials that are already on the ground...But access to bring new material is the biggest challenge,” lindmeier.
Across Yemen, over 1,00,000 people have been displaced and hospitals are under increasing pressure with dwindling supplies and attacks on medical facilities.
“There are not only the immediate needs for trauma and injuries, the problem is also for example, something like a cold chain for a vaccine in a hospital where if vaccine cannot be given like in other conflict areas you will have diseases spreading like measles and all these services are disrupted and it will hit the most vulnerable and children of course,” lindmeier added.
“WHO is coordinating with Ministry of Public Health and Population for locally procuring generators sets to maintain the cold chains for vaccines. Also, shortage of fuel is creating additional challenges,” lindmeier said.