Rataban-Mabin district, 2 March 2022 – When Bushra was eight months old, her body grew more frail by the day and she developed diarrhea and a fever for more than a week. Her mother said: “I refused to transfer her to the city, not because I don’t love my child, but because we don’t have the cost of treatment and medicine. We were watching her dying for three painful days, after we learned from our village doctor that there is a health facility which offered free treatment. We rushed to the hospital hoping it wasn’t too late for my daughter.”

Bushra arrived at the therapeutic feeding center in a critical condition. The medical team immediately took her to the emergency management unit to stabilize her in line with the WHO protocol.

Dr Adel al-Abdeli, a paediatric specialist, was responsible for Bushra’s emergency care and assessment on his daily rounds. After four days of close monitoring and treatment, Bushra’s condition improved significantly. After recovery, she was referred to the outpatient clinic to continue her nutritional treatment and monitor her weight towards making a full recovery.

Bushra when she arrived at the Al-Jumhori Public Hospital therapeutic feeding center in Hajjah being assessed by Dr Adel al-Abdeli, a paediatric specialist

Bushra’s mother was overjoyed by her daughter’s progress, and at the same time was able to benefit from educational sessions on personal hygiene and appropriate feeding practices for infants and young children.

Note: WHO through the Emergency Health and Nutrition Project (EHNP) and its successor the Emergency Human Capital Project (EHCP), both funded by the World Bank, supports 109 therapeutic feeding centres across Yemen, including the one at Al-Jumhori Public Hospital in Hajjah.