WHO Warns Yemen Health Crisis Is Worsening

By Staff, Agencies

The World Health Organization (WHO) warned Friday that Yemen’s prolonged health crisis is worsening, as shortages of medical staff, equipment, supplies and funding continue to strain a healthcare system weakened by years of war and economic collapse.

WHO spokesperson Tarik Jasarevic said Yemen is facing multiple simultaneous health threats, including cholera, acute watery diarrhea, measles, dengue fever, diphtheria, malnutrition and war-related injuries.

More than 30,000 children in Yemen suffer from severe acute malnutrition with complications each year, according to the WHO. Therapeutic feeding centers in some areas are operating beyond capacity, with bed occupancy reaching 120%.

Measles transmission continues across the country, while dengue remains endemic. A dengue outbreak was reported in al-Mukalla in Hadramout Governorate, identified by the WHO as a major hotspot for the disease in 2026.

Cholera transmission has declined from its peak in 2025 but has not stopped. The WHO warned that gaps in disease surveillance could hinder the early detection of a renewed outbreak. More than 18,000 suspected measles cases were reported in 2026, resulting in 106 deaths, while authorities recorded 390 diphtheria cases and 13 deaths.

Jasarevic said access to affected areas and a shortage of field partners remain major obstacles. The latest escalation has made access particularly difficult in northern Yemen, where 90 of the 105 areas identified as priorities by the Health Cluster are located.

The WHO estimates that around 20 million people in Yemen require health assistance, while only about 60% of health facilities are fully operational. Attacks on health facilities, shortages of medical supplies and fuel, and disruptions to referral services are placing additional pressure on the country’s already weakened healthcare infrastructure.