ADEN – Yemen’s legitimate government has warned of an imminent public health crisis that threatens millions of children in Houthi-controlled areas and called on the international community to intervene swiftly to ensure the supply of life-saving vaccines.
Restrictions on immunization programmes have prevented roughly 5 million children from getting routine immunizations, it claimed, raising fears of recurrent outbreaks of childhood diseases that had been previously contained, especially polio, measles and diphtheria.
The Ministry of Public Health and Population stated that the ongoing disruption of vaccination campaigns and interference with the operations of humanitarian organizations were expanding immunity disparities among children. It warned that limits on access to vaccines could have effects beyond Yemen’s borders should they persist.
The warning came as residents of the Houthi-held capital, Sanaa, and other areas under the group’s control have complained about the absence of kid immunizations from health clinics after years of delayed door-to-door immunization drives.
Sanaa residents told Asharq Al-Awsat that immunizations are no longer available at maternity and child health clinics, raising fears of a return of epidemic diseases, particularly after cases of polio were recorded in those areas, although Yemen was proclaimed polio-free almost three decades ago.
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