Thousands of people in Yemen’s conflict-affected districts are receiving critical health services closer to home through a year-long initiative funded by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) via the Yemen Humanitarian Fund and implemented by the World Health Organization (WHO).

The program has expanded access to emergency surgery, maternal and child health care, outbreak response, and treatment for chronic diseases in four hard-to-reach districts: Abyan, Al Bayda, Al Husha, and Far' Al Udayn. More than 42,000 people—including internally displaced families, women, children, and those with chronic illnesses—have benefited from the initiative.

Between August 2025 and February 2026, WHO-supported surgical teams performed 864 operations at hospitals in Al Bayda, Far' Al Udayn, and Lawdar, nearly doubling the original target of 462 procedures. The program also supplied essential medicines and trauma equipment to hospitals, enabling frontline health workers to continue patient care despite limited resources.

Yemen continues to face recurring outbreaks of cholera, measles, and other infectious diseases. Health teams conducted 207 field missions to investigate suspected outbreaks, trace contacts, and contain disease spread, surpassing project goals and helping reduce the risk of wider outbreaks.

During the reporting period, health workers provided over 14,000 obstetric and gynecological consultations, more than 4,600 antenatal visits, and upwards of 12,000 pediatric consultations.

Syed Jaffar Hussain, WHO Representative in Yemen, emphasized the importance of OCHA’s support through the Yemen Humanitarian Fund in maintaining access to lifesaving health services amid the ongoing humanitarian crisis. He stated, "Through this partnership, WHO has been able to strengthen emergency and trauma care, support outbreak response, sustain maternal and child health services and ensure continuity of care for people living with chronic diseases.”

Access to emergency surgery remains critical for people injured by conflict or accidents, often determining whether they live or die.

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