The World Health Organization (WHO) has provided their Yemen map on everywhere suspected cases of cholera have exceeded 200,000 people, an infection that has spread to practically all of its provinces. The organization has stated quite profoundly that they are facing the biggest outbreak of cholera in The World. As a further breakdown of the epidemic, WHO reports that there is an average of 5,000 people infected daily. Over a period of two months, they have also reported that 1,300 people have died and that a quarter of those deaths were children.

In March, the UN’s humanitarian chief, Stephen O'Brien, put Yemen on a report which listed all areas that were in dire need of humanitarian aid.

War-torn infrastructure

In a statement made by WHO, they said that they were working aggressively with other organizations including UNICEF to stop the outbreak, providing clean water as well as to provide proper sanitation throughout the nation and provide medication. In their statement, they also acknowledged that the war that has enveloped the nation for two years now was to blame for the cholera outbreak. In their statement, they pointed to the issues with clean water, terrible sanitation conditions, and a health system that is in ruin, which has affected 14.5 million people.

Humanitarian aid efforts

30,000 workers in the health system have also been unpaid for 10-months and many are either still working for free or have abandoned those roles. WHO released another report on June 8 which mentioned Dr. Nevlo Zagaria who is the head of the organization's office in Yemen. He said that by stamping out the disease in the worst-hit cities, they could then focus on prevention in others and eventually control it.

This was clearly before the more recent reports of more deaths and infection in larger numbers. But the methods of prevention and distribution of medical aid are challenging with the violence of war, a destroyed health care system and the lack of distribution of care as they have reportedly only been able to reach 3.5 million people.

Dr. Meritxell Relano of UNICEF stated that the children are malnourished, and with the disease and violence, death is always near. 3.5 million people have had their water supply treated with chlorine and their water systems are also being rehabilitated. They are working to disinfect water treatment plants, providing household water cleaning kits along with distributing medical treatment and supplies. Those infected with cholera are being taken to treatment centers that the organizations have set up to rehydrate people and treat cholera symptoms such as diarrhea. WHO said that they currently have $66.7 million to fund their efforts for six months but without a doubt will need more.
© ALL RIGHTS RESERVED