Health

To safeguard Yemeni children from polio, UNICEF, in collaboration with its partners, initiated the first round of the door-to-door Polio vaccination campaign in February 2024. The campaign aimed to vaccinate over 1.2 million children under five years of age across 12 governorates in Yemen. More than 6,727 health workers in fixed and mobile teams…

As the health system in Yemen remains on the brink of collapse, UNICEF is strengthening community health services by empowering 50 community health workers in Lahj Governorate through a series of trainings. The female community workers are now equipped with knowledge and skills on vaccine-preventable childhood diseases, health education,…

Malnutrition is a life-threatening condition, especially for young children. It requires qualified medical help and thorough treatment. Otherwise, it can lead to long-term health complications. In Yemen, approximately 2.7 million children are projected to be acutely malnourished, including nearly 600,000 with severe acute malnutrition. Most of…

05 March 2024, Aden, Yemen – In just 4 days, a polio immunization campaign in Yemen has reached more than 1.29 million children aged under 5 years. Overall the campaign achieved 101% coverage ranging from 89% to over 100%. Yemen’s Ministry of Public Health and Population collaborated with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the World…

Nine years of conflict in Yemen have left more than two-thirds of the country’s population in desperate need for humanitarian assistance. The conflict has led to a deteriorating economic situation, growing food insecurity, and recurring disease outbreaks that have brought Yemen's health system to near collapse.   Yemen Humanitarian Needs Overview…, Supporting a network of community workers, Soon after the idea of a community health workers network crystallized, UNICEF supported the establishment of the network in partnership with Yemen's Ministry of Public Health and Population. Both organizations saw the initiative's potential to restore the structure of the country's health system and improve life for thousands of mothers and…, Raising health awareness and screening for malnutrition, Thirty-four-year-old Ulfat Saeed serves as a community health worker in the village of Bayhan in Tuban District of Lahj Governorate, southern Yemen. She makes home visits to examine children and measure their MUAC, with the aim of early detection of malnutrition and referring complex cases to the nearest health centre. Ulfat also examines pregnant…, Supporting immunization activities, Residents in rural areas face an additional challenge: lack of health awareness and the spread of misinformation about vaccines and malnutrition. Ulfat explains: “ Before the project, people refused vaccines and did not know much about malnutrition and its risks, which put their children’s lives at risk .” She adds, “ The health awareness…, Detecting pregnancy and childbirth complications, Female health workers understand the purpose of their efforts and take pride in their expertise and abilities to help their communities. These efforts include the early detection of diseases and complications of labor and childbirth so appropriate referrals can be made. Bardees Abdullah, 34, works in the village of  Azzitan in Jabal Habashi…, Knowledge prevents tragedies and saves lives, “ Community health worker, Bardees, followed up on my condition during pregnancy and provided me with health advice ,” says Shathia Alwan, a resident of Azzitan village in Taizz. “ After I gave birth, Bardees visited me and discovered that I had puerperal fever and referred me to the hospital on time. This saved my life ." Shadhia continues, “ The…, Maternal care and counseling, Sumaya Ahmed Salah, 40, lives in Al-Tha’alab village in Tuban District, Lahj Governorate and participated in the training program for community health workers. “ The situation in the region is very complex ,” she explains. “ Children and pregnant and breastfeeding women suffer from malnutrition, and they may not receive the necessary services at…, Helping the community overcome infectious diseases and epidemics, When communities lack basic health services, it's often vulnerable children and women who bear the burden. Soa’dah Ahmed, a 23-year-old community health worker in the Ash Shihr area in Hadramaut, explains: “ People in Ashway village suffer from deteriorating health conditions, the spread of infectious diseases, and cases of malnutrition, as there…, Detecting cases of malnutrition and working to treat them, Thanks to home visits by community health worker, Reem Saleh, 30, in the Mansoura area of Ash Shihr in Hadhramaut, it was discovered that 18-month-old Enas was suffering from malnutrition. " My daughter had no appetite and refused to eat until her body became emaciated ," the girl's mother explains. “ During the health worker Reem’s visit to the…

25 February 2024, Aden, Yemen – Around 1.3 million children aged under five will be protected against polio in a vaccination campaign launched today with the support of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF). The Ministry of Public Health and Population aims to reach…

“At first, I was scared of injections,” Leen says as she remembers how she used to feel when it came time to get vaccinated. “But I saw what happened to children who weren’t vaccinated. They got a fever and a red rash because they had measles.” Leen is just 10 years-old, but she has already seen the life-saving potential of routine immunization.…, Troubling trend, Measles and rubella are highly contagious and major causes of child mortality and congenital disabilities, yet both diseases can be prevented through vaccination. By late November 2023, a total of 50,795 suspected cases of measles and rubella had been reported in Yemen, resulting in more than 560 associated deaths – a sharp increase from the 27,…, Empowered and proud, Although children are signing up on an individual, voluntary basis to be sponsors, they are given a chance to participate in joint activities with other child sponsors and are also provided with useful school items – an important incentive for children from the poorest households. In addition, the sponsor initiative is conducted in partnership…

Yemen's public health system has been devastated by conflict for more than seven years. As a result, only 51 percent of health facilities are still functioning. Yemen Humanitarian Overview 2022 estimates that as of today 21.9 million people, more than half of them children, need support to access critical health services. Additionally, more than…, Providing life-saving assistance to Yemenis, The Emergency Human Capital Project (EHCP) is supported by the World Bank’s International Development Association and implemented by UNICEF, WHO, and UNOPS. The project provides essential health, nutrition, water, and sanitation services to Yemen's population in response to deteriorating health and nutrition conditions. As part of a multisectoral…, Preventing health system collapse and strengthening workforce capacity, Initially, the World Bank intervention aimed to prevent the collapse of the health, nutrition, water, and sanitation systems due to conflict and economic crises. During the course of the project, however, the objectives evolved into a system-strengthening approach. This has meant expanding beyond the provision of inputs, to support aimed at…, A Health Worker Story from Socotra Island, UN0778596 UNICEF/UN0778596/DotNotion "My work at the health center means providing primary health care services to mothers, children, and the entire community. I am keen on making a difference and improving the health status of the population of the island.” Hamida, 26, Socotra Island Yemen’s Socotra Island, located 380 km south of the Arabian…, Improving access to clean water, sanitation, and hygiene services, In 2018, as part of the WASH activities and in response to a cholera outbreak, EHNP set up the Cholera Response Program, which aimed at scaling up the delivery of an integrated package of health, water and sanitation services. Since early-2022, additional emergency WASH interventions have included the provision of fuel support for 33 local water…, EHCP supports 46% of Yemeni primary health care, Through EHCP interventions, more than 2,200 health facilities are supported in Yemen's 23 governorates. The interventions support the Minimum Service Package (MSP), improve access to essential preventive and curative nutrition services, and support administration, monitoring, and evaluation (M&E) of the EHCP.   EHCP supported primary health…, Preventive and curative nutrition services accessible, By addressing acute and chronic malnutrition, the project supported the provision of a package of essential nutrition services to vulnerable children and their families. Mobile teams and an extensive network of community health volunteers provided maternal and child nutrition services at PHC facilities and community levels. UN0692145 "Somaya’s…

For displaced families grappling with poverty in camps without health services, the lack of transportation costs means the difference between life and death. “The economic situation is terrible here. Sometimes we receive pregnant women with hemorrhage, and we refer them to the health center. But a mother told me, ‘I don’t have money for…

In remote villages of Yemen, the absence of midwives and health centres has resulted in traditional midwives delivering babies without sterilization or proper knowledge of prenatal care. To address this issue, UNICEF, with support from the European Union, initiated a project to train midwives at the Higher Institute of Health Sciences in Ibb…, A humanitarian profession, UNI476419 Midwifery students watch as their teacher demonstrates on an obstetric manikin at the Higher Institute of Health Science in Ibb Governorate. Wafa’a Mohammad Al-Salmi, head of the midwifery department, has worked at the Institute since 2001. "We have students from Ibb Governorate and twenty students from Taizz Governorate, which suffers…, A community service, Arwa Zaid Yahya Ali, 22, enrolled in midwifery because she lived in a remote area without health care. UNI476413 UNICEF/UNI476413/Al-Kamali “Although I specialized in midwifery, I learned how to treat patients, deal with accidents and bleeding, install urinary catheters, treat malnutrition, and provide supplementary nutrition for pregnant women.”…, A lifetime opportunity, UNI476431 Asma’a Sallam, a 30-year-old midwifery student from Taizz. Asma’a Muqbil Sallam, from Taiz Governorate, joined because her area lacked midwives. “UNICEF gave us this opportunity. Being a midwife means providing service to my region. I have gained experience and a profession that I will benefit from.”, Lifesaving, Asala Abdul Rahman Al-Bahairi, 22, decided to study midwifery to help mothers in her village. She says, “I will open a clinic in my village. This diploma will help me financially change my life for the best.” Blocks UNI476432 UNICEF/UNI476432/Al-Kamali Asala Al-Bahiri practices measuring MUAC under the supervision of her instructor at the Higher…, Vital skills, UNI476414 Najwa Dahan practices measuring MUAC under the supervision of her instructor at the Higher Institute of Health Science in Ibb Governorate. Najwa Muhammad Dahan, 20, comes from Taizz Governorate. “In our village, midwives traditionally deliver babies, often without sterilization. During our training, we were taught how to use needles,…, Job opportunities, UNI476407 UNICEF/UNI476407/Al-Kamali Khalid Mohammad Hashem Ba Alawi has taught general and therapeutic nutrition at the Institute since 1998. “We teach general and therapeutic nutrition in the midwifery department according to the curriculum prescribed by the Ministry of Health and the Higher Institute of Health Sciences, in addition to the…

Tapping into the potential of young and flexible minds, UNICEF is investing in youth-led initiatives to encourage innovative solutions to some of the most critical issues of our time, including healthcare, water conservation and climate change. “Innovation Lab for Adolescents and Teenagers” is a programme that tries to expand the knowledge of…, Self-Development, UNI453795 UNICEF/UNI453795/Qadari "The innovations invented by the students are great because they address people's needs. They include projects related to climate, water, earthquake prediction, and humanitarian projects, such as Ayman's chair that helps him climb stairs." Abdulwahid Engineer Abdulwahid Al-Shuja'a is one of the coaches guiding…, Creative Solutions for Real-World Problems, 16-year-old student Atheer Nabil Dhaifullah Saeed joined the workshop to gain practical experience in bringing her ideas to life through the Lab’s hands-on approach. Atheer says: "We received lectures on life skills, self-confidence, and overcoming anxiety, and we applied them with Professor Abdo Mohsen while assembling the electrical circuit and…, Delivering Clean Drinking Water, UNI453800 Ghaida Hamoud Ghilan, 17, is in her third year of high school. Ghaida is developing her skills through participation in the Lab. Ghaida witnessed the suffering of people in villages searching for clean drinking water. Many villagers go to great lengths to transport water, often resorting to open sources unsuitable for drinking. Ghaida's…, Protecting the Environment, As the climate and environmental crisis becomes more acute, all societies are searching for ways to preserve the environment and combat diseases and ill-health caused by waste and pollution. 15-year-old Layan Jalal Al-Shaibani, a first-year high school student, joined this workshop to implement an idea that had been on her mind for a long time.…, Ensuring the Security of Our Children, Many questions were running through 17-year-old Moath Mohammed Awad Al-Ja'idi's mind, questions about how devices are made, about what components a camera or a phone contains, or about how drones fly. These questions found their answers in the Innovation Lab. Moath says: "I learned about various components and devices. I disassembled and assembled…

Samar Abdullah Saad, a mother of five children, found herself at the Therapeutic Feeding Center (TFC) located in Al-Ain Rural Hospital, Taizz Governorate, where she was frantically fighting for the survival of her son, Omar, who is 14 months old. He suffers from severe acute malnutrition, a debilitating disease that has weakened his body severely…, Treatment plan, Wedian Abdullah, a nurse at the TFC in Al Ain Rural Hospital inTaiz, receives cases of malnourished children and begins their treatment plans. "Medications tailored to the specific complications of malnourished children are administered as part of the treatment plan." It also entails giving them the therapeutic formula (F75) until their conditions…, Lower mortality rates, "Immediate treatment is critical for children suffering from severe acute malnutrition to save their lives,” Wedian highlights. The value of therapeutic feeding centers in combating malnutrition in communities cannot be overstated. Factors such as a lack of awareness among mothers and caregivers, as well as difficult living conditions put children…