MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 03rd April, 2020) There are currently no reported COVID-19 cases in war-torn Yemen, making many international humanitarian organizations concerned about the embattled country's fragile healthcare infrastructure, which would neither be able to detect the deadly virus nor treat the potential patients, Erika Tovar Gonzalez, the communication coordinator at the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in Yemen, told Sputnik.
For the last five years, Yemen has been mired in a conflict between the UN-backed government, headed by President Abdrabuh Mansour Hadi, and the Houthi rebels. The parties signed a ceasefire agreement in late 2018, which, however, quickly collapsed. The United Nations has repeatedly called the situation in the country the world's worst humanitarian crisis, with an estimated 24 million people � close to 80 percent of the population � currently in need of aid.
"The main concern for the ICRC is the impact of a possible spread of the COVID-19 in a country like Yemen with a weakened health system, after 5 years of an ongoing conflict. About 50 percent of health facilities in Yemen are out of service and others are partially functioning across the country, while active front lines pose security risks for ambulances and health services nearby, weapon wounded are mostly occupying the working facilities. Confrontations also prevent these hospitals from receiving the needed material and training," Gonzalez said.
The official also noted that the ICRC found it challenging to provide enough supplies to prevent the coronavirus from spreading across Yemen.
"The challenge is to have all the stock of supplies quickly enough to satisfy the country's needs, to assist communities affected by conflict while providing support related to COVID-19 prevention. Humanitarian cargo is allowed but finding enough material, specific to the COVID-19 prevention, in the internal or external market is still challenging," Gonzalez said.
She added that refugees were especially vulnerable given their poor living conditions in overcrowded camps for internally displaces people, with limited or no access to health care, shelter and proper nutrition.
"Our focus is on continuing to be able to reach and assist the people affected by the ongoing conflict in Yemen with a focus on lifesaving activities," Gonzalez said.
The humanitarian worker went on to say that the organization was being kept informed of the coronavirus situation in the country and was in constant contact with government agencies.
"The ICRC is closely following the COVID-19 situation in Yemen and is in contact with a number of government agencies and WHO [the World Health Organization] in-country who is leading and coordinating the response," Gonzalez said.
Last week, the situation in Yemen escalated as Saudi-led coalition forces carried out massive attacks on positions of the Houthi rebels in the Yemeni capital of Sanaa. The attack came after the Houthi movement fired several missiles and used drones to attack Riyadh and southwestern Saudi city of Jizan.
