Saudi's King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre supports WHO's health response in Yemen
Date
8/11/2016 3:26:19 AM
(MENAFN- Emirates News Agency (WAM))
NEW YORK, 10th August 2016 (WAM) --- With support from Saudi Arabia's King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre, the World Health Organisation continues to provide lifesaving health, nutrition and environmental services for millions of people in Yemen.
To date, the Centre has donated more than US$ 22 million to support WHO's response activities in Yemen. Funds received have allowed WHO to provide 120 metric tonnes of essential medicines and medical supplies to hospitals in Abyan, Aden, Al-Dhalea, Al-Mahra, Shabwah, Lahj, Hadramout, Taiz (enclave), Al-Jawf, Marib and Socotra governorates in 2016, the WHO said in a press release posted on its website.
The WHO expressed its deep appreciation to the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre for its ongoing support to WHO," said Dr Ahmed Shadoul, WHO Representative for Yemen.
The Saudi donation include emergency health supplies, trauma supplies, and medicines for the treatment of diarrhoeal diseases. Funds from the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre were also used to support polio immunisation activities for 4.7 million children in the country.
Additionally, the WHO has been able to dispatch 25 integrated mobile health teams, deploy 12 primary health care teams to areas where health care services are limited, and ensure referral services through the provision of 7 ambulances in Hajjah, Sa'ada, Al-Dhalea, Amran, Taiz (inside and outside the enclave), Hadramout, Al-Hodeida, Aden, Abyan, Sana'a, Shabwah and Al-Mahweet governorates.
As part of preparedness activities for malaria and dengue fever, WHO has also conducted fogging campaigns in Aden and Al-Hodeida governorates, targeting 10 462 and 64 737 households, respectively, covering 64 737 people in Aden and 587 270 in Al-Hodeida.
To ensure the functionality of health facilities in 19 governorates, the funds were used by WHO to provide 386 700 litres of fuel to 59 hospitals, 1 blood bank, 1 central laboratory, 4 kidney centres and 2 oncology centres. WHO has also provided more than 12 million litres of water for health facilities and areas hosting internally displaced persons in Sana'a, Taiz and Al-Dhalea governorates, reaching approximately 950 000 beneficiaries.
"Many health facilities in Yemen are non-functional due to fuel and electricity shortages, unavailability of health staff, medicines and supplies. Given the limited funding available to WHO for its emergency response in Yemen, support from the Centre has been vital to ensuring the continuity of health services.
WAM/MMYS