2023-08-20 16:48:32
On Sunday, Doctors Without Borders revealed that measles cases in Yemen tripled during the first half of the current year 2023, compared to the whole of last year.
“The number of measles patients received in MSF-supported facilities almost tripled in the first half of 2023, compared to the whole of 2022,” Doctors Without Borders (MSF) said in a report.
The report added that over the past three years, there has been a significant increase in the number of children admitted to MSF hospitals in Yemen for measles treatment, but this year has witnessed an alarming rise in infection rates.
“The huge increase that we have witnessed this year cannot be ignored, as the number of cases has almost tripled, reaching nearly 4,000, which has increased pressure on medical facilities, which are Already overburdened. These are not just numbers we talk regarding, these are children’s lives.”
Al-Kaldi pointed out that this huge increase in the number of measles cases is not an isolated issue, unfortunately, as “our medical teams witnessed the rise and devastating impact of the disease in the governorates of Amran, Saada, Hajjah, Ibb, Al Hudaydah, Taiz, Ma’rib and Shabwa.”
The report emphasized that major gaps in routine vaccination campaigns and economic hardship, fueled by violent conflict, in addition to limited access to basic health care facilities play a major role in the spread of this disease, and other preventable diseases.
Doctors Without Borders called for the need to address this serious health crisis with a comprehensive and coordinated response to protect Yemeni children from the risk of contracting measles, strengthen preventive measures and community participation and strengthen case management, and the authorities, along with humanitarian and health actors in Yemen, must ensure Availability of vaccines in health structures, increasing accessibility and capacity of public healthcare facilities, strengthening referral pathways and promoting community health awareness.
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