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UAE and WHO conclude the first phase of a multi-stage joint project to assess and improve the health and nutrition status in Socotra
14 July 2025– Field teams from the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Erth Zayed Philanthropies of the United Arab Emirates, and in close coordination with Yemen’s Ministry of Public Health and Population (MoPHP) have completed the first phase of a comprehensive baseline assessment in Socotra Island in Yemen. The multi-phase operation will comprise 4 scheduled field visits over a 1-year period by joint both teams.
The assessment is the initial phase of a comprehensive programme in Socotra, aiming over the next two to five years to reduce mortality related to poor health and malnutrition by 20% through an integrated health system strengthening approach. The baseline assessment covered 38 enumeration areas (villages) across the 29 sub-districts of Socotra.
Preliminary results show that 93% of targeted health facilities were surveyed. Data were collected from 4,214 households as part of the household listing process. Field teams conducted over 930 caregiver interviews, and took anthropometric measurement from eligible children and mothers, exceeding the initial target, and facilitated 12 focus group discussions with diverse community groups. All 15 planned key informant interviews with relevant and multi-sectoral stakeholders including local and national authorities, donor and UN agencies were completed. The teams also conducted 546 client exit interviews to gather beneficiary feedback on the services provided, exceeding the initial target.
The baseline assessment will now move into the data cleaning, verification and analysis phase, paving the way for a final report that will reveal the current status of the maternal and child health and nutrition status of the community and health facilities readiness and performance, including for health emergencies preparedness and response to guide evidence-based planning for the next phases of intervention, helping ensure that response activities align with identified community needs and health facilities priorities.
Upcoming stages of the joint project implementation include the procurement and distribution of medical and non-medical supplies, recruitment and deployment of technical experts and service providers, technical training programmes and community awareness campaigns. Activities will be implemented in coordination with WHO, the Ministry of Public Health and Population and other partners, ensuring alignment with national health strategies.
The efforts reflect the UAE’s data-driven humanitarian approach, implemented in partnership with leading international health organizations to create sustainable impact and improve public health indicators among the most vulnerable populations.
WHO remains committed to supporting joint efforts that enhance the resilience of the health system and local communities in Yemen and improve health outcomes for all and will continue to work with local authorities and partners to ensure access to all communities, including those in hard-to-reach areas.
WHO and UNICEF launch polio vaccination campaign targeting over 1.3 million children in Government of Yemen-controlled areas
12 July 2025, Aden, Yemen – A new round of polio vaccination for children begins this week in Government of Yemen-controlled areas.
The 3-day campaign, running from 12 to 14 July 2025, aims to boost population immunity in high-risk areas and prevent further spread of the virus by administering novel oral polio vaccine type 2 (nOPV2) to more than 1.3 million children in 120 districts across 12 governorates. The intervention comes in response to cases in the community and the continued confirmed circulation of variant type 2 poliovirus (cVDPV2) in environmental samples.
“Yemen remains at high risk for poliovirus outbreaks due to protracted conflict, weakened health systems and low routine immunization coverage,” said Acting WHO Representative in Yemen Dr Ferima Coulbibaly-Zerbo. “With poliovirus continuing to circulate and cases confirmed in 2025, these campaigns are essential to interrupt transmission and protect every child from the debilitating effects of polio.”
Since 2021, Yemen has reported a total of 282 cVDPV2 cases across 122 districts in 19 of the country’s 22 governorates, with 98% of cases occurring in children under the age of 5. The overall epidemiological trend highlights the urgent need for nOPV-2 vaccine to halt cVDPV circulation in southern governorates and protect children from the disease.
The campaign is led by the Ministry of Public Health and Population (MoPHP) with support from World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF and the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI).
It will be carried out by almost 7,000 vaccination teams, including over 6,000 mobile door-to-door teams and 800 teams at health facilities. Nearly 2,000 team supervisors and 240 district-level supervisors will oversee the campaign, with technical support from national and partner agencies.
“The campaign is an important and urgent step to protect children from being paralysed by the poliovirus. With confirmed cases of polio among Yemeni children, an imminent threat persists, especially for every unvaccinated child. But, through vaccination, we can keep our children safe,” said Peter Hawkins, UNICEF Representative to Yemen.
WHO and UNICEF, as core partners of GPEI, are fully committed to supporting the Government of Yemen in its efforts to eradicate polio and strengthen routine immunization services. Continued investment and coordinated action are essential to ensure no child is left behind.
About WHO
Since 1948, the World Health Organization (WHO) has been the United Nations agency dedicated to advancing health for all, so that everyone, everywhere can attain the highest level of health. WHO leads global efforts to expand universal health coverage, direct and coordinate the world’s responses to health emergencies and connect nations, partners and people to promote health, keep the world safe and serve the vulnerable.
About UNICEF
UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. Across more than 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, to build a better world for everyone. For more information about UNICEF and its work for children visit http://www.unicef.org/yemen
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Every drop counts: how clean water is restoring hope to Yemen’s hospitals
25 June 2025, Aden, Yemen – Before the water trucks started arriving, each morning at the hospital began with uncertainty.
“We used to check the water tanks before we checked on patients,” says Amal, a nurse at a Khalifa Hospital in Yemen. “If there was no water, we had to rethink everything –sterilization, wound care, even washing hands.”
Water, a simple and essential resource, had become increasingly scarce in Yemen’s overburdened health facilities. Without it, health care workers like Amal had to make difficult decisions every day.
“You can’t clean an operating room or safely deliver a baby without water,” she says. “But often, no water was a daily reality.”
Things began to shift when WHO launched to restore access to safe water in hospitals through “Improved WASH Services in Hospitals with Sustainable Water Supply” project, supported by the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre (KSrelief),to serve the most vulnerable populations in Yemen. With this initiative, 60 health care facilities now receive regular trucks of clean water, allowing to better serve 580,000 people, many of them displaced or living in high-risk areas.
A matter of survival
Before the intervention, water shortages led to critical procedures being postponed and the closure of delivery rooms. Sanitation and basic infection prevention protocols were compromised.
“We sometimes had to send patients elsewhere, not because we lacked doctors, but because we had no water,” says Dr. Mohammed, Head of Nursing Department at Taiz Psychiatric Hospital,. “It was painful for everyone involved.”
Today, with regular water deliveries and a water quality control system in place, project hospitals can function more reliably. Disinfection routines are followed, surgical wards are active and basic hygiene is no longer a daily struggle.
“We’ve regained stability. Staff are less stressed and patients are safer,” says Dr.Mohammed.
Delivering more than a water
Behind the scenes are people like Hussein, a water trucking supervisor, who oversees distribution to more than 50 hospitals in 5 governorates.
“Every tank we deliver is tested and treated before use,” he explains. “And when a hospital calls to say they’ve received the delivery, we know we’ve helped someone get care they can trust.”
There have been challenges along the way, rough roads, occasional contamination and the pressure to meet growing needs. But the impact, Hussein adds, makes it worth it.
“Clean water doesn’t just improve services, it protects lives.”
New standards of care
Amal senses the change in every corner of Khalifa Hospital.
“Now we can focus on patient care, not just on coping. We’re able to follow proper hygiene steps and respond quickly in emergencies. That makes a real difference, especially in maternity and surgery.”
Infections are down, Staff morale is up, and for the first time in years, patients-and their relatives are expressing satisfaction with the cleanliness and safety of facilities.
“Even visitors notice,” says Amal. “People are no longer afraid to come here for service.”
Thankful for every drop
“Thank you for seeing this need, for responding before things got worse,” says Amal.
“This wasn’t just about infrastructure,” adds Mohammed. “It was about restoring dignity and trust to health care in Yemen.”
With KSrelief’s fund, safe water has returned to places where hope was fading, and with it, the ability of health care workers to do what they are trained to do. Save lives, safely and with dignity.
A health worker’s fight against cholera in Yemen
27 May 2025, Aden, Yemen – For years, Yemen has been fighting outbreaks of cholera and other epidemic prone diseases. In the bustling streets of Aden, where life continues against what often seem insurmountable odds, Al-Mualla Diarrhoea Treatment Centre (DTC) provides a beacon of hope for families battling the devastating impacts of cholera.
Behind every life saved is a story of determination, compassion and unrelenting dedication – stories like that of Dr Khalid Mohammed Jaber, an internal medicine specialist working at Al-Mualla, on the forefront of the battle against cholera.
Dr Khalid’s efforts, supported by the US$ 3 million King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre (KSrelief)-funded cholera response project, have helped transform Al-Mualla facility into a lifeline for those most in need. From providing free of charge care to spreading awareness about prevention, his work shows what targeted funding can achieve.
“Every patient feels like one of my own children”
For Dr Khalid, treating cholera patients is more than a job – it is a vocation rooted in empathy.
“When a patient recovers, it feels as if one of my own children has been healed,” he said. “The joy is immeasurable. It reassures me that my efforts are making a difference.”
By ensuring the availability of essential treatments, diagnostic tools and follow-up care, the KSrelief project has significantly enhanced the Centre's capacity to care for cholera patients. According to Dr Khalid, the support has made a substantial difference. It allows patients to access previously inaccessible care for free, alleviating the financial burden on families and allowing the Centre to deliver effective treatments on time.
Despite these achievements, challenges remain. Dr Khalid emphasized the importance of public awareness in preventing cholera.
“Health education is crucial,” he said. “I use every opportunity – at the clinic, in mosques, during conversations – to inform people about the importance of handwashing, food safety and environmental hygiene.”
There are varying levels of understanding within the community. Dr Khalid observed that while some individuals recognize the importance of these practices, others struggle to adapt and change their habits. Acknowledging that progress takes time, he is optimistic that meaningful change can be achieved.
Sustaining the fight against cholera
In Yemen, where many families struggle to afford even a basic meal, the KSrelief-funded cholera response project has become a lifeline for the country’s most vulnerable, offering hope and tangible support in the fight against cholera.
By reducing the financial burden of treatment, the project has made health care more accessible. By providing essential resources and supplies, it helps ensure that health care facilities are equipped to respond to outbreaks. Through comprehensive training and capacity-building programmes, it empowers health workers to deliver effective care and protect their communities from this devastating disease.
By prioritizing the accurate dissemination of information, the project effectively addresses misinformation and helps ensure accurate messages reach communities, fostering better awareness and understanding.
Through a multifaceted approach, the project not only addresses immediate health crises, it is helping to lay the foundations for long-term health resilience in Yemen. This collaborative effort highlights how partnerships can create meaningful change, bringing lifesaving support to those who need it most.
“The funding allows us to work with dedication and honesty, lifting the burden from our patients’ shoulders. But the fight isn’t over – we must continue to raise awareness and provide care until cholera is no longer a threat,” said Dr Khalid.
At Al-Mualla DTC in Aden, every patient treated represents a life saved—a life that could have been lost without the critical, life-saving intervention provided through this important intervention.
Since its launch, this project has given a second chance to 250 individuals, including 178 patients suffering from moderate to severe dehydration who were admitted for urgent treatment between November 1 and December 18, 2024. These patients were on the brink of losing their lives to cholera, a ruthless disease that can claim lives within hours due to rapid fluid and electrolyte loss.
Their survival is a powerful testament to this intervention, transforming what could have been tragedies into stories of hope and recovery. Each case is not just a number, but a life saved—a mother, father, child, or sibling. With the continuation such important support, countless more lives can be spared, preserving families, futures, and communities.
KSrelief support to this centre along with four additional centres, essential medicines and medical supplies, training and supervision of health workers and incentives for staff working 24/7. This vital support ensures that those affected by cholera can access timely care, preventing further suffering and saving lives across Yemen.
