Ministry of Health: A Yemeni child dies every 5 minutes as a result of the continued aggression and siege

The Ministry of Public Health and Population confirmed that Yemeni children die daily as a result of the continuation of the US-Saudi aggression and the unjust siege on the country for more than 6 years.

The official spokesman of the Health Ministry Dr. Najeeb Al-Qubati on Monday said the continued aggression, the siege, the closure of Sanaa International Airport, and the prevention of the entry of fuel ships has exhausted the health sector in Yemen.

During a vigil organized by the Ministry and the Yemeni Petroleum Company in front of the United Nations office in Sanaa, Dr. Najeeb Al-Qubati referred to the size of human suffering as a result of the Saudi-led aggression coalition forces’ piracy on fuel ships.

In a statement issued during the vigil, Dr. Al-Qubati stated that the continuation of the blockade and the detention of fuel ships have caused the supply of oil derivatives to stop at 75% of health facilities, in addition to the prevention of the entry of medical and diagnostic devices and medicines.

The statement appealed to the United Nations, its affiliated organizations, the international community and free peoples, to take serious action to stop the aggression, lift the siege, open Sanaa International Airport and ports, and allow the entry of fuel ships to meet the needs of the health sector and other vital sectors.

“More than 5,000 patients with kidney failure need to travel for a kidney transplant and their lives are threatened with death as a result of the closure of Sanaa International Airport, and there are 1.5 million suffering from chronic diseases, including 32,000 patients who urgently need to travel abroad to receive treatment,” the spokesman explained.

Dr. Al-Qubati added that more than 3,000 children have congenital heart defects and need to travel for treatment, 500 cases of liver failure need a liver transplant, and 2,000 cases require a cornea transplant, and all of them were registered at the air bridge flights.

He indicated to the effects of the aggression and siege on the rise in birth defects, the increase in the suffering of dialysis patients and the scarcity of medicines for chronic diseases, as well as the decrease in support provided by international and humanitarian organizations.