Yemen, the World’s Worst Humanitarian Crisis – Displaced Communities in and Near Hudaydah Are in ‘Desperate Need’ of Aid

Yemen, 3 Aug 2018 (IOM)* The world’s worst humanitarian crisis deteriorated even further in June 2018 when a military offensive on Hudaydah led to the displacement of nearly half of the city’s 600,000 population. 

Migrants stranded in Hudaydah are forced to wait for the resumption of IOM’s return assistance. Photo: IOM

Nearly two months later, the situation remains unstable and the displaced communities in and near Hudaydah are in desperate need of humanitarian aid.

In Hudaydah, IOM, the UN Migration Agency, provides assistance to displaced communities where they are temporarily residing.

Since 13 June, IOM has provided 4,680 medical consultations, antenatal care to 337 pregnant women, reproductive health consultations to 531 individuals and psychosocial support to 500 people, as well as conducting health promotion activities that have reached over 1,600 people.

IOM distributed food rations, basic hygiene items and other essential to over 3,300 displaced people. Shelters materials and other essential aid were provided to 1,400 families, as well as 20,850 hot meals in various areas of displacement.

To ensure their safety and access to humanitarian services, IOM has helped transport over 1,000 displaced people to various locations.

Having to flee for their lives, the displaced community have very little to support themselves in the places where they are sheltering. From July to the start of August, the United Kingdom’s Department for International Development (DFID), airlifted, through seven flights, roughly 368 tonnes of aid to Yemen.

IOM received them and will ensure the delivery of the goods, which include blankets, kitchen sets, water buckets, sleeping mats, solar lanterns and family size tents, through humanitarian partners to internally displaced Yemenis forced from their homes by the Hudaydah offensive.

Although health needs are high, the conflict has collapsed Yemen’s health care infrastructure, which was barely coping before the fighting began. Through IOM, the United States’ Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA) has provided the people of Yemen with 1,800,000 bags of Intravenous fluid from April to July.

Many of Yemen’s hospitals have closed due to lack of funding – medical staff have not been paid for nearly two years now. Providing medical supplies is a lifeline in a spiralling situation.

“We are grateful to our donors for their support – it is vital but the displaced communities in Yemen are in need of much more assistance and protection,” said Sarat Dash, IOM Yemen Chief of Mission.

*SOURCE: IOM. Go to ORIGINAL.