Sana'a - Saba:
The Ministry of Health and Environment on Wednesday held a press conference in Sana'a, revealing the effects of the aggression and blockade and the repercussions of their continuation on the health and humanitarian sectors, ten years after the US-Saudi-Emirati aggression. This conference coincided with National Resilience Day, March 26.
During the press conference, Minister of Health and Environment Dr. Ali Shaiban stated that the aggression has not taken into account, nor does it take into account, any humanitarian or moral considerations, and has imposed a stifling naval, air, media, economic, and political blockade, the likes of which humanity has never witnessed, amidst a shameful international and UN silence.
"The scale of the attack that the homeland has been subjected to, and continues to be, is unprecedented in terms of suffering, as attested by the United Nations itself, which has described what is happening in Yemen as the largest humanitarian crisis in history," he added.
Minister Shiban said the indirect damages of the aggression are much greater than the direct damages. An estimated value can be established for damaged facilities that have been put out of service, but the damage resulting from citizens being deprived of health services in these facilities cannot be calculated.
"We cannot calculate the health sector's inability to keep pace with the population growth and the halt in plans for expansion, coverage, and deployment of services."
The Minister reviewed some of the indirect damages to the health sector, including the number of deaths resulting from epidemics and other communicable diseases, the increasing number of child and maternal deaths, and cases of malnutrition to the point of famine. This is in addition to the deprivation of patients with chronic diseases of medication, the halt in imports of many medications, the flight of companies, and the reluctance of others to deal with Yemen.
He pointed out that indirect damages include the inability of patients to travel and the destruction of infrastructure such as roads and sewage networks. He also noted the stifling economic crisis and its impact on health and mental health, including the spread of anxiety and psychological disorders, and the outflow and migration of medical and health personnel abroad.
The Minister of Health stated that the health sector, despite the targeting it has been subjected to, has remained steadfast in the face of aggression and blockade, providing its services to the best of its ability.
He pointed to the genocide being perpetrated against the Palestinian people, particularly in the Gaza Strip, stressing that Yemen, its leadership and people, will continue to support the Palestinians.
At the conference, attended by deputy ministers, directors-general and program directors, the Ministry's spokesperson, Dr. Anis Al-Asbahi, presented the report on the effects of the aggression and blockade and their repercussions on the health sector, "The Bitter Harvest." He indicated that the total number of martyrs and wounded from March 2015 to March 2025 reached 50,479, comprising 15,885 martyrs and 34,549 wounded.
He stated that the number of children killed and wounded reached 8,010, including 3,203 children and 4,807 children. The number of female martyrs and wounded reached 6,565, 3,228 female martyrs, and 3,337 female wounded.
Al-Asbahi said the victims of the aggression on our country since Operation Support for Gaza (Martyrs on the Road to Jerusalem) have reached 189 martyrs and 575 wounded, including 53 children and 17 women, both martyred and wounded.
He stated that the civilian victims of the aggression since the beginning of the truce along the border have reached 980 martyrs, including 124 children and 53 women, and 4,653 wounded, including 341 children and 194 women.
The spokesperson stated that the aggression has caused a 300 percent increase in the rate of motor disability in the country, noting that cluster bombs and mine remnants left by the aggression coalition pose a long-term threat to the lives of civilians, leading to high rates of disability and death.
He pointed out that the aggression targeted 539 health and administrative facilities in 15 governorates, in addition to targeting the under-construction Al-Rasoul Al-Aazam Hospital and the warehouses of the Republican Hospital Authority in Sa'ada Governorate and the Health and Environment Office in Al-Hazm District in Al-Jawf Governorate, bringing the total to 542 health facilities.
He noted that 165 health facilities were completely destroyed and 376 were partially destroyed, placing significant pressure on the health sector, rendering more than 55% of health facilities out of service. Under the siege, only 45% of health facilities are operating at a minimal level.
According to Al-Asbahi, the number of casualties among health and medical personnel reached 69, including 66 martyrs. He noted that the aggression and blockade have caused the departure of more than 95% of foreign medical personnel working in the country, and the migration and recruitment of approximately seven thousand medical personnel to work abroad, impacting the health sector.
The aggressive airstrikes directly destroyed a pharmaceutical factory and two oxygen factories, and 100 ambulances were targeted by shelling while carrying out their medical duties despite the clear international markings on the roof and sides of the vehicles.
Regarding the pharmaceutical situation, the Ministry of Health spokesperson reported a shortage of medications requiring special transportation conditions (refrigeration). These medications exceed 38 scientific names, including hundreds of trade names that were in high demand before the aggression. He confirmed that thousands of patients have lost their medications due to the blockade, including kidney transplant medications, blood derivatives, hormonal medications, and some diagnostic solutions.
He stated that 1,630 types of 98 medicines are in short supply due to the aggression and blockade, and are not manufactured locally according to their scientific name. Meanwhile, 16 companies that produced 559 types of medicines have closed their markets in Yemen due to the blockade. Furthermore, 83 importers that supplied 1,329 types of medicines have stopped importing due to the unsuitable conditions imposed by the aggression and blockade.
According to Dr. Al-Asbahi, the average annual demand for dozens of pharmaceutical products has increased from 200 to 500 percent. The entry of radioactive iodine for thyroid cancer patients has also been banned due to the blockade.
He added that the aggression and blockade have caused a catastrophic humanitarian crisis within the country, the worst in the world, with 864,000 deaths of children under the age of five during the 10 years of the aggression, 80 newborns under 28 days of age dying every day, and 46,000 women dying as a result of complications resulting from the blockade and aggression.
He also noted the recording of 350,000 miscarriages and a significant increase in fetal abnormalities, reaching 22,000 in areas heavily targeted by the aggression with internationally prohibited weapons.
He also noted an annual increase in the rate of premature and underweight births by more than 9%, 50% of whom die due to the repercussions of the blockade, aggression, malnutrition, and immunodeficiency. The number of children with heart defects has also reached more than 3,000.
The spokesperson added that "there are more than 102,000 cases registered with the National Oncology Center, a 50% increase, and more than 3,000 children with leukemia are facing death, in light of the shameful positions of the United Nations resulting from the ongoing blockade."
He noted that 7,000 new cancer cases are added annually, 7% of which are children.
He emphasized that the aggression has, from the outset, targeted the health system, especially those linked to water, sanitation, and preventive health services. This has led to the spread of numerous diseases and epidemics over the past ten years. The number of suspected cases of epidemic diseases between 2016 and March 2024 reached 11,707,141, including 10,228 deaths.
The Ministry spokesperson addressed the suffering of patients who need to travel abroad for treatment. The number of registered patients has reached 100,000 and is increasing. Only 500 patients travel per month due to the limited number of seats available, leaving them subject to the policy of the ticket market for travel to Jordan. He explained that operating five weekly flights to Jordan only covers 10% of the actual need for patient travel to Jordan.
He said, "The blockade and aggression have had direct effects, as the worsening economic crisis and the interruption of salaries have led to an outbreak of mental health disorders. According to recently published World Health Organization reports, the number of people suffering from psychological trauma and stress resulting from the ongoing conflict is estimated at approximately seven million, or nearly a quarter of the country's population. While all of them need mental health support, only 120,000 have sustained access to services. This means that 6,880,000 cases, representing more than 98% of mental health cases, do not receive basic psychological services."
The Ministry of Health held the aggressor countries responsible for the repercussions of the health disaster resulting from their aggression, the systematic destruction of the health sector, and the crimes they have committed, which continue to this day.
It called for the continued opening of Sana'a International Airport to all humanitarian and commercial flights, to multiple destinations and carriers, to alleviate the suffering of patients seeking treatment in any destination without arbitrary procedures, and to allow the safe entry of medicines. Before the aggression, there were approximately 30 flights daily to 29 destinations and 14 carrier airlines.
The Ministry called for the opening of all Yemeni ports, the lifting of the naval blockade to allow medical supplies and medicines to reach the country, and the permission for medical missions to enter the country.
It considered the aggressor states' failure to implement the humanitarian truce at Sana'a International Airport a war crime, adding to their heinous crimes against humanity and life. It demanded that humanitarian, medical, and food aid be allowed in without conditions or detention.
It also called on doctors abroad to return to serve their country, especially since the health sector needs approximately 40,000 doctors to cover the shortage, particularly in rural areas and medical centers. It also needs more than 10,000 specialists.
The Ministry of Health urged Arab and international media and journalists to expose the horrific crimes committed by the coalition countries waging war on Yemen, including the unjust and ongoing blockade, their use of all types of internationally prohibited weapons, their deliberate killing, and their perpetration of all crimes against humanity.
Civil society organizations, human rights organizations, and relevant institutions have also called for lawsuits to be filed against the aggressor states and those who facilitated this aggressive war logistically and militarily, including American, European, and British companies. They have also been called upon to prosecute them as war criminals, along with all companies that supplied these criminal regimes with prohibited weapons.
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