ERM Emergency Risk Management and

Humanitarian Response

HUMANITARIAN HEALTH

RESPONSE IN YEMEN KAREN HOBDAY, WHO

Photos: Acknowledgements to Dr Ahmed

Zouiten

ERM Emergency Risk Management and

Humanitarian Response

Demographic indicators

Total population (2014) 26,052,966

Population under the age of 15 40.2%

Gross national income per capita US$ 3,820

Life expectancy at birth m/f 63/67

Probability of dying under five 60

(per 1 000 live births, 2012)

Probability of dying btw 15 and 60 years 264/214

m/f (per 1 000 population, 2012)

Maternal mortality ratio (100 000 live births) 270

Total expenditure on health as % of GDP 5.5

ERM Emergency Risk Management and

Humanitarian Response

Conflict

19 March renewed conflict erupts between

government forces and local armed groups

26 March fighting between the Houthi’s and

President Hadi’s supporters turns into full conflict;

airstrikes by coalition forces commence

21 April Coalition seeks an end to air strikes calling

for Operation Restoring Hope; yet fighting has

continued

12-17 May Five day humanitarian pause

Peace talks commenced 15 June in Geneva

ERM Emergency Risk Management and

Humanitarian Response

19 March to 07 June, 2, 584 reported deaths and

11, 065 injured

21.1 million people affected (80% of population)

1, 019, 762 people displaced by conflict

42, 000 people have fled since March 2015

Shelling and attacks are ongoing in Aden, Hajjhe,

Al-Dhale, Sa’ada & Lahj Governorates impeding

humanitarian access

Partners working to scale-up operations; UN

agencies sending 70 international staff

Humanitarian Situation

ERM Emergency Risk Management and

Humanitarian Response

ERM Emergency Risk Management and

Humanitarian Response

Wheat trucks hit by armed forces, killing 4 and injuring 5. This

shipment was going to Taiz, Yemen.

ERM Emergency Risk Management and

Humanitarian Response

Impact on Health

15.2 million people lack adequate access to basic

primary health care services

The routine vaccination program is disrupted

Increased risk communicable diseases including;

measles, rubella, diarrhea, dengue…

69 cases of dengue in Aden Governorate in May 2015

Currently, 16, 000 children in the South of Yemen are

suffering from severe acute malnutrition with limited or

no access to treatment

Lack of access and NCD medicines= increase risks ie.

Dialysis, heart and cancer patients; birth complications

ERM Emergency Risk Management and

Humanitarian Response

Impact of Conflict

Attacks on health workers, facilities and assets

53 health facilities are closed, 12 in Taizz, due to lack

of fuel, supplies and sustained damage

Ambulances as well as other WHO vehicles have

been carjacked in Lahj Governorate and Aden city

Medical supplies up to 10 million in value at risk due

to lack of electricity and fuel for backup generators for

cold chain

ERM Emergency Risk Management and

Humanitarian Response

HEALTH CLUSTER PARTNERS

Health Cluster meetings have been taking place

regularly in Amman and Sana’a.

A new Health Cluster Coordinator was hired for

Yemen, and will be based in Sana’a

Recently cluster partners have revised Yemen

Humanitarian Response Plan; the HRP will be

launched on 18 June

Health Cluster partners have 74 MT of medicines

and medical supplies in the country ready to be

dispached to cover more than 700 000 people

ERM Emergency Risk Management and

Humanitarian Response

Provision of primary health care services through

mobile health clinics in Aden, Sana'a and

Hodeida

Expanding vaccination activities to previously

inaccessible areas.

Provision of safe water to hospitals and locations

hosting internally displaced persons.

Actively seeking funds for non-communicable

disease medications which have almost been

depleted in Yemen

WHO Activities in Yemen

ERM Emergency Risk Management and

Humanitarian Response

58 MT of medical supplies in Yemen (majority in

Hodeida and Sana'a)

Supported hospitals with fuel, essential

medicines, equipment and staff; operations

rooms with oxygen, trauma and dressing kits,

human resources & inter-hospital patients

transfer.

Provided a shipment of anti-malaria medicines

from the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis

and Malaria sufficient for 44,950 treatment

courses of malaria.

WHO Activities in Yemen

ERM Emergency Risk Management and

Humanitarian Response

Challenges of Operating in Yemen

Difficult to hire drivers and transport supplies to

areas that are highly insecure

Infrastructural damage to health facilities, schools,

electrical plants, petrol stations, water pumps,

bridges, health facilities and WHO and partner

offices, warehouses

Limited number of international operational partners

on the ground.

Local partners are working in an extremely stressful

environment

Teresa Zakaria, MD, MIPH

Migration Health Emergency Operations Offier

Remote Management of

Emergency Health Programme

the IOM Experience in Yemen

Yemen’s Migration Challenges

The IOM Migration Health Programme in Yemen

Health assistance for migrants and crisis affected populations

• Mobile health clinics and HR support to fixed public health facilities – PHC, EPI, CMAM, RH in Al Jawf, Abyan, Shabwah, Aden and Sana’a

• Mobile Emergency Units patrolling Yemen’s south-western shores – outreach to migrants in need to urgent assistance, notably health care in Lahj, Taiz, Hodeidah and Hajjah.

• Operation of migrant clinics and residential health care facilities in Sana’a, Bab Al Mendep, Haradh and Aden

• Preparedness for disease outbreaks targeting migrants (MERS-COV and Polio)

Operational Approach

• Identification and recruitment of national consultants through third party arrangement

• Clear hierarchy, areas of responsibilities and reporting lines: field team field team leader area team leader national health officer – programme coordinator

• Clear M&E framework and processes utilization of mobile data collection methods, integration of health and socio-demographic information

• Regular programmatic updates and field monitoring