Covid-19 pandemic is wreaking havoc in Yemen
Yemen braces for fresh humanitarian disaster as first COVID19 case had knocked on the doors in Yemen. The information that a 60 year old port worker in eastern province of Hadramount being tested positive triggered panic across the country. The authorities and humanitarian aid organizations fears that war torn country will not be able to withstand yet another humanitarian disaster when the country is already going through multiple catastrophes.
Civil War
The country’s infrastructure is already damaged by the five year long civil war between the Houthi rebels, controlling the northern part and the Internationally recognised government based in south of Yemen.
Yemen has been beset by violence and chaos since 2014, when the Houthis overran much of the country, including the capital Sanaa. The crisis escalated in 2015 when a Saudi-led military coalition launched a devastating air campaign aimed at rolling back Houthi territorial gains.
Since then, tens of thousands of Yemenis, including numerous civilians, are believed to have been killed in the conflict, while another 14 million are at risk of starvation, according to the UN. The years of war had led to extreme poverty, shortage of water and inadequate sanitation.
Floods
The flash flood in Yemen this month, already resulted in death of at least seven people while 85 others have injured, the United Nations(UN) said.
The seven deaths includes five women and two children. The floodwaters have swept through capital city Sana, overturning Cars and damaging shops.
Cholera Outbreak
Yemen has had one of the largest cholera outbreaks recently taking hundreds of lives. It had resulted in malnutrition in the country. the year of civil war has already destroyed or closed nearly half of the hospitals and clinics in the country, resulted in malnutrition in the country. the year of civil war has already destroyed or closed nearly half of the hospitals and clinics in the country.
US ‘Aid’
“United States is preparing for ‘substantial contribution’ to help Yemen combat coronavirus, but it may have to find alternatives to WHO to spend it,” a senior US official quoted.
UN Appeal
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Gueterres has asked for all the parties involved to end the war.
“Only through dialogue will the parties be able to agree on a mechanism for sustaining a nation-wide ceasefire, humanitarian and economic confidence-building measures to alleviate the suffering of the Yemeni people, and the resumption of the political process to reach a comprehensive settlement to end the conflict,” Guterres said.
Catastrophic Consequences
United Nations had issued warning that thread of coronavirus in war ravaged Yemen requires attention and aid.
“Yemen cannot face two fronts at the same time; a war and a pandemic, “U.N. envoy to Yemen told in virtual meeting of Security Council.
“Epidemiologists warn that COVID-19 in Yemen could spread faster, more widely and with deadlier consequences than in many other countries,” UN aid chief Mark Lowcock told the Security Council.
By: Faisal Khan
