WHO: Fuel and Supply Shortages Threaten to Halt Vital Services in Taiz Hospitals
The World Health Organization has warned of a worsening supply crisis in the hospitals of Taiz governorate, with severe shortages of fuel, oxygen, medicines, and medical supplies, threatening the continuation of life-saving health services, including kidney dialysis, intensive care, and emergency surgery.
In a statement on Thursday, the organization said that 42 health facilities in Taiz city have reported severe supply shortages, while more than 1,110 patients with kidney failure require daily dialysis sessions, 192 patients are receiving treatment in intensive care units, and 154 newborns are in incubators.
It pointed out that hospitals and ambulances need more than 156,000 liters of fuel per month, warning that its shortage not only threatens the operation of health facilities but also affects oxygen production, transport of emergency cases, and vaccine storage.
The warnings come amid severe restrictions on humanitarian access and increasing displacement. The organization stated that more than 256,000 people were displaced in Yemen between August 1 and October 19, and that Taiz is one of the areas experiencing widespread displacement.
It added that the fuel shortage obstructs water pumping and sanitation services, increasing the risks of cholera and diarrheal diseases, especially among displaced families, at a time when reduced access to health facilities may limit case detection and reporting.
According to the organization, a local partner managed to deliver emergency medicines to Al-Thawra Hospital in Taiz via an alternative route, while the organization and its partners are working to expand the health response, including supporting diarrhea treatment centers, deploying mobile medical teams, and establishing health points to serve the displaced.
The World Health Organization called for safe, sustainable, and unimpeded access for aid to Taiz, and for securing urgent funding to replenish vital supplies, warning that the continued shortage could lead to further disruption of services, especially for critical, maternal, and newborn care.
المصدر: World Health Organization
