15 March 2018— The World Health Organization (WHO) expresses its appreciation for a new donation of US$ 1.5 million from the Government of Japan to provide emergency services to vulnerable populations in conflict-affected areas in Yemen, where more than 16.4 million people are in need of access to health care services.
This new contribution aims to ensure access to essential health care services at primary health care and referral levels, and emergency care and mental health services, for around 332 000 people in the most affected districts in four priority governorates, including Al Jawf, Sa’ada, Sana’a City and Taiz.
“Support from the Government of Japan during the current crisis in Yemen has been essential in allowing WHO to deliver life-saving health services. This new donation will contribute to alleviating the suffering of thousands of Yemenis, including vulnerable displaced men, women and children,” said Dr Nevio Zagaria, WHO Representative in Yemen.
“This funding will also enable WHO teams to reach people-in-need in remote districts and deliver much-needed health care services.”
Prior to this donation, the Government of Japan generously donated US$ 4.1 million to WHO to support life-saving health care services, procure emergency medicines, support mobile medical teams and enhance trauma care interventions from April 2017 to March 2018.
These generous contributions from the Government of Japan have enabled WHO to provide much needed life-saving health services, as Yemen’s health system faces collapse due to ongoing conflict, lack of operational costs and serious shortages of medicines and medical supplies.