07 April 2026, Aden, Yemen – The theme of World Health Day 2026, Together for Health, Stand with Science, celebrates the power of scientific collaboration to protect the health of people, animals, plants and the planet. The World Health Organization (WHO) in Yemen joins the global call to highlight the critical role of science and evidence-based action in protecting lives and sustaining health services.

Science is a lifeline In Yemen, where conflict, economic hardship and recurring health emergencies continue to strain the health system. From controlling disease outbreaks to ensuring access to essential health services, evidence-based interventions guide every aspect of the health response, saving lives and supporting communities when they are at their most vulnerable.

Across the country, WHO works closely with health authorities and partners to translate science into action. This includes strengthening disease surveillance systems, supporting laboratories, training thousands of health workers and delivering lifesaving medicines and supplies to health facilities. These efforts ensure that health decisions continue to be informed by data, expertise and global standards in the most challenging environments.

Science-driven approaches have been central to recent public health gains in Yemen. Immunization campaigns have reached millions of children, helping to stop the spread of vaccine-preventable diseases. Emergency response operations have enabled rapid detection and control of outbreaks of diseases such as cholera, dengue and measles. Continued investment in health workforce capacity and health system resilience is helping ensure that essential services remain available for millions of people.

“Science is at the heart of every lifesaving intervention in Yemen,” said WHO Representative in Yemen Dr Syed Jaffar Hussain. “From outbreak response to emergency care, evidence-based action allows us to reach those most in need. On this World Health Day, we call on partners and communities to stand with science and ensure that health services continue to reach every person, everywhere.”

This year’s global theme highlights the importance of the One Health approach, recognizing the interconnected health of people, animals and the environment. In Yemen, where climate-related risks and disease outbreaks intersect, strengthening science-based, multisectoral collaboration is essential to prevent and respond to health threats.

WHO is urging communities, partners and decision-makers to support science-led health action, promote accurate information, strengthen trust in public health guidance and invest in sustainable health systems.

On World Health Day and beyond, WHO reaffirms its commitment to working with partners across Yemen to ensure that science continues to guide the response, protect communities and build a healthier future for all.

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About WHO

Founded in 1948, the World Health Organization (WHO) is the United Nations agency dedicated to promoting health, keeping the world safe and serving the vulnerable. WHO leads global efforts to expand universal health coverage, coordinate responses to health emergencies and advance well-being for all.

24 March 2026, Aden, Yemen – Conflict intensified across Yemen in 2025. Repeated air and naval strikes placed immense pressure on the already fragile health system. Hospitals, which were already struggling with critical shortages of medicines, medical supplies and functioning referral services in Sana’a, Hodeida, Al-Baidha and other affected governorates, faced a sudden surge in trauma cases.

Medicines and Supplies Distribution, Aden. Credit: WHO Yemen/Nesma Khan

For injured civilians, access to lifesaving care depended on the ability of health facilities to continue operating under extremely challenging conditions. At this critical moment, the World Health Organization (WHO) rapidly mobilized support through the Contingency Fund for Emergencies (CFE), enabling an immediate scale up of lifesaving health services.

Through this rapid financing mechanism, WHO delivered more than 60 metric tons of essential medicines and medical supplies to hospitals across Yemen. The shipments included intravenous fluids, trauma emergency surgical kits (TESK), Interagency Emergency Health Kits (IEHK), blood bags and laboratory reagents, allowing hospitals to continue performing emergency surgeries, blood transfusions and critical diagnostic services.

The supplies helped health facilities provide lifesaving care to more than 200 000 people affected by the escalating violence. 

The surgical team at Al-Thawarah Hospital performs a surgical intervention, providing critical and lifesaving care to patients. Photo credit: WHO Yemen/2025

CFE support to Yemen in 2025 strengthened emergency care capacity, with 6 WHO-supported surgical teams performing over 2000 major lifesaving surgeries and providing consultations and treatment for more than 7000 patients in Sana’a city, Hodeida, Al-Baidha and Al-Dhale’e. Sixteen ambulances supported referral services, enabling the safe transport of 1800 critical patients to facilities capable of providing advanced medical care in Sana’a, Hodeida, Marib and Taiz.

To improve emergency preparedness, WHO trained 296 health workers in mass casualty management and basic life support, strengthening the ability of hospitals to respond to sudden surges of trauma cases. Six mobile health teams delivered essential primary health care services to more than 42 000 internally displaced people and vulnerable communities in Hodeida, Hajjah and Taiz.

To keep hospitals functioning amid severe electricity shortages, with CFE support WHO supplied around 610 000 litres of fuel to 59 health facilities across northern Yemen, powering generators for operating theatres, laboratories and critical medical equipment and enabling continued emergency care for over 22 000 patients.

Though these interventions saved lives and helped stabilize critical services, Yemen’s health system remains under enormous strain. Continued international support and flexible emergency funding are essential to sustain lifesaving operations, protect health services and ensure that millions of Yemenis continue to receive the care they urgently need.

16 March 2026, Aden, Yemen – Amid one of the world’s most complex humanitarian crises, Yemen has reinforced its national immunization system and successfully interrupted variant poliovirus type 2 (cVDPV2) transmission in the south.

Between 2024 and 2025, the World Health Organization (WHO), with financial support from Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance; the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) and the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre (KSrelief), delivered comprehensive technical and operational assistance to the Ministry of Public Health and Population. This support strengthened the Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI) and the national Polio programme.

A health worker marks a child’s finger during a community vaccination campaign

A total of 18,832 immunization staff were trained to enhance routine services and 800 polio and vaccine-preventable diseases personnel trained to improve surveillance, outbreak investigation and sample management capacities. Laboratories in Aden, Sana’a and Taiz received nearly US$ 1 million in essential supplies to improve sample storage and testing, and laboratory workforce capacities were strengthened with continuous training.

Faced with the threat of cVDPV2 transmission, the response was swift and coordinated. WHO supported the rollout of novel oral polio vaccine type 2 (nOPV2), training over 9000 vaccinators and deploying more than 7,000 vaccination teams. Two nationwide vaccination rounds in 2024 achieved 100% coverage. They were followed by 2 additional 100% coverage rounds in 2025, protecting millions of children and expanding access to vitamin A supplementation.

Community health volunteer Ahlam Ahmed visits households to support vaccination efforts

“When the outbreak began, we knew we could not afford delays. We went door to door, sometimes walking for hours to reach children in remote villages and displacement sites. Every child vaccinated meant one more family protected and brought us one step closer to stopping the virus,” said community health volunteer Ahlam Ahmed.

Reaching those previously unreached was central to the success of the initiative. During 9 integrated outreach rounds across 12 southern governorates, 7620 health workers travelled to remote valleys, mountain settlements and displacement sites.

These efforts reached 542,183 children under 5, including 119,702 zero-dose children. More than 222,120 pentavalent doses and 184 063 measles vaccines were administered, helping close long-standing immunity gaps.

In northern Yemen, outreach services resumed for the first time in more than 3 years. In 2025, 2.2 million measles-rubella vaccinations were delivered alongside integrated child, maternal and nutrition consultation services.

Behind these statistics are families whose confidence in health services is being rebuilt.

“For months, we lived in fear of disease spreading among our children. When the vaccination teams arrived, I did not hesitate. I made sure my children were vaccinated immediately. Protecting them is my responsibility. I encourage every parent to vaccinate their children. Every dose brings us closer to a healthier, safer future for all,” said Abdullah Raged.

These successes have been made possible by the unwavering commitment of national health authorities and the support of WHO’s donors and partners whose investments enabled workforce training, surveillance strengthening, laboratory improvements, extensive outreach campaigns and the rapid deployment of lifesaving vaccines.

The work must continue. In a health landscape shaped by conflict, displacement and system fragility, millions of children remain vulnerable to vaccine‑preventable diseases. Sustained and flexible donor support is essential to maintain immunization coverage, close remaining immunity gaps, sustain robust surveillance and ensure every child receives lifesaving vaccines.

With continued partnership and solidarity, Yemen can secure a polio‑free future for its children.

11 March 2026, Aden, Yemen – After a decade of conflict, Yemen’s health system is severely strained.

In the face of enormous challenges and overwhelming needs, health care workers remain at the heart of the system, continuing to serve on the front lines. They are the lifeline that keeps hospitals and emergency services functioning. But the critical shortage of specialized emergency physicians limits hospitals’ ability to provide timely, lifesaving care.

Strengthening emergency response across Yemen. Photo credit: WHO Yemen

As of 2026, approximately 23.1 million Yemenis require humanitarian assistance and protection services, with projections indicating more than half of the population will remain in crisis or emergency conditions, underscoring the critical need to invest in the workers that sustain the health system.

To help address this gap, WHO Yemen, in collaboration with the Ministry of Public Health and Population and the Yemeni Medical Council for Specialties, supported the launch of Yemen’s first Postgraduate Diploma in Emergency Medicine in Aden on 12 April 2025 via the Emergency Human Capital project funded by The World Bank.

The initiative strengthens national institutional capacity by embedding the curriculum within Yemen’s own medical educational system, delivered through the Yemeni Medical Council for Specialties. By collaborating with national institutions and accredited bodies, the programme ensures emergency medicine specialization is locally led and sustainably integrated into health workforce development.

Health workers receive emergency care response training in the intensive care unit. Photo credit: WHO Yemen

The landmark 9-month programme enrolled 25 physicians from public hospitals across southern governorates, including facilities in rural and underserved areas. The training, which combined theoretical instruction with hands-on clinical rotations in emergency rooms and intensive and cardiac care units, equipped participants with the skills needed to manage critical emergency conditions, including trauma, infectious diseases and mass casualty incidents.

The programme represents a long-term investment in Yemen’s health workforce, helping establish a national pool of qualified emergency medicine professionals to serve vulnerable populations. By strengthening physicians’ skills, the diploma enhances the quality and timeliness of lifesaving emergency care services in public hospitals, building institutional capacity.

As Yemen continues to face one of the world’s most complex humanitarian crises, strengthening the health workforce is vital to sustaining critical health services.

Initiatives such as the Postgraduate Diploma in Emergency Medicine help ensure that hospitals can continue delivering lifesaving care under challenging conditions. By investing in national capacity, WHO and its partners are supporting Yemen’s path towards a more resilient health system capable of responding to emergencies and saving lives.

09 March 2026, Aden, Yemen – In Yemen’s prolonged humanitarian crisis, women and girls continue to face a heightened risk of gender-based violence (GBV), while the health system struggles under the weight of conflict, displacement and limited resources. In such a fragile context, ensuring that survivors of GBV can access safe, confidential and quality health services is not only a public health priority – it is a matter of dignity, protection and human rights.

Since 2021, the Ministry of Public Health and Population, in close partnership with the World Health Organization (WHO), has been working to institutionalize survivor-centred GBV services and strengthen safeguarding mechanisms across the health system. The approach has focused on reinforcing national leadership, standardizing clinical guidance, improving quality of care and embedding ethical accountability into everyday health practice.

A cornerstone of this effort has been large-scale capacity-building. During 2024–2025, 2496 health professionals were trained on responding to GBV and the prevention of sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment. This included 1956 health ministry staff and health-care providers, 286 representatives from civil society organizations and 254 Health Cluster partners. This training enhanced frontline readiness, strengthened referral pathways and promoted safer, more accountable service delivery in health facilities nationwide.

A major milestone was reached on 14 December 2025, with the endorsement of the updated National Protocol for the Medical Management of GBV Survivors. The protocol provides standardized, practical guidance to unify how providers identify, manage, document and refer GBV cases – ensuring comprehensive, confidential and survivor-centred care across all levels of the health system. As one frontline health worker said: “This guideline unifies how we manage cases and ensures survivors receive comprehensive and respectful services.”

In parallel, the Ministry of Public Health and Population, supported by WHO, has developed a national code of conduct that clearly defines professional behaviour, prohibits sexual misconduct and establishes reporting and response mechanisms to increase accountability.

Together, these reforms are strengthening the safeguarding of women and girls, the quality of health care and trust in Yemen’s health services – ensuring that survivors are treated with dignity and that health workers operate within clear, ethical standards. Sustained investment and partnership will be needed to expand and maintain this lifesaving, survivor-centred response.

A comprehensive emergency vector control campaign in targeted districts in Yemen. Photo credits: WHO Yemen/ Nesma Khan23 February 2026, Aden,Yemen - The World Health Organization (WHO), with the generous support of the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre (KSrelief), is currently implementing Phase 2 of a project to strengthen malaria control and prevention in Yemen, expanding life-saving malaria and arboviral disease interventions across 15 governorates and more than 200 districts nationwide.

Running from March 2025 to February 2028, the project’s goal is to strengthen prevention, surveillance and case management services in high-risk and epidemic-prone areas, prioritizing pregnant women, children under-5, internally displaced persons (IDPs), refugees, migrants and communities in hard-to-reach locations.

Ongoing interventions reaching millions

The project is expected to benefit 8.7 million people, through an integrated package of interventions designed to reduce malaria-related morbidity and mortality and contain outbreaks of dengue and other arboviral diseases.

Activities currently underway include:

• distribution of malaria rapid diagnostic tests and laboratory supplies to strengthen early detection and confirmation of malaria and dengue
• provision of essential antimalarial medicines, ensuring timely treatment for uncomplicated and severe malaria cases
• reactivation of quality assurance/quality control systems for malaria microscopy in targeted health facilities to improve diagnostic accuracy
• expansion of integrated community case management, including training and supervision of community health volunteers to increase access to testing and treatment in remote districts
• implementation of indoor residual spraying in prioritized high-burden and epidemic-prone areas
• establishment of continuous distribution of insecticide-treated nets through antenatal care and immunization services to protect pregnant women and infants
• strengthening of integrated entomological surveillance in 16 sentinel sites to monitor mosquito vectors and guide targeted control measures
• deployment of mobile teams to deliver surveillance and case management services in IDP sites and high-risk border areas.

Malaria and arboviral diseases remain significant public health threats in Yemen, particularly in areas affected by displacement, environmental changes and limited access to essential services. Sustained surveillance and targeted vector control remain critical to preventing outbreaks and protecting vulnerable communities.

“WHO remains committed to ensuring that the most vulnerable populations have access to timely diagnosis, effective treatment and proven prevention tools,” said Dr Syed Jaffar Hussain, WHO Representative in Yemen. “Through strengthened surveillance and community-based services, we are helping to reduce the burden of malaria and other arboviral diseases across the country.”

WHO expresses its sincere appreciation to the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre (KSrelief) for its continued support to malaria control and prevention efforts in Yemen, enabling the delivery of these life-saving interventions to millions of people at risk.

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About WHO

Founded in 1948, the World Health Organization (WHO) is the United Nations agency dedicated to promoting health, keeping the world safe and serving the vulnerable. WHO leads global efforts to expand universal health coverage, coordinate responses to health emergencies and advance well-being for all.

22 February 2026, Aden, Yemen – Over the past three years, WHO Yemen has led a transformative initiative to strengthen civil society capacity to prevent and respond to sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment (SEAH), embedding accountability, protection and dignity into health and humanitarian service delivery.

Through an integrated approach combining prevention of and response to sexual exploitation and abuse (PRSEAH), gender-based violence (GBV), gender equity and human rights (GER), and mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS), WHO has supported a shift from awareness to institutional change.

In 2024, 56 civil society organizations (CSOs) participated in a national safeguarding working session. In 2025, more specialized trainings expanded engagement to over 60 CSOs, with more than 650 participants trained cumulatively. Importantly, 23 CSOs were supported to develop and institutionalize tailored PRSEAH policies – marking a milestone in strengthening internal accountability systems. Additionally, 69 staff members received bystander intervention training to reinforce proactive prevention.

“For the first time, we understand how to develop and improve our own PRSEAH policy. This has strengthened our credibility with staff and communities,” said a CSO safeguarding focal point in 2025.

These efforts have strengthened governance structures, clarified reporting pathways and increased organizational responsibility across the civil society sector.

Expanding community protection and safer health services

WHO-supported implementing partners expanded PRSEAH awareness at community level across multiple governorates. In 2024 alone, 659 community members (410 women and 249 men) were engaged in PRSEAH-focused activities, while 229 partner staff were trained on SEAH prevention.

Parallel efforts focused on strengthening protection within health facilities. Throughout 2024–2025, dozens of facilities established confidential, survivor-centred reporting mechanisms, reinforcing professional conduct and early risk identification.

As health workers became better equipped to respond safely and appropriately to disclosures, facilities reported greater confidence among communities – particularly women and vulnerable groups – in seeking care.

In just three years, WHO Yemen and its partners have laid the foundation for safer, more accountable systems. Continued investment in civil society leadership and safeguarding mechanisms remains essential to sustain trust, uphold dignity and ensure protection across Yemen’s health response.

18 February 2026  – In 2025, between March and October, as conflict intensified across Yemen, repeated air and naval strikes placed immense pressure on health facilities in Sana’a, Hodeida, Taiz and other affected governorates. Hospitals experienced a surge in trauma cases, critical shortages of essential medical supplies and disruptions to emergency referral services – severely constraining access to life-saving care for communities caught up in the violence.

In response, the World Health Organization (WHO) rapidly scaled up its emergency response to sustain critical health services across the country. It delivered more than 3210 metric tons of essential medical supplies, including intravenous fluids, trauma emergency surgical kits, interagency emergency health kits, blood bags and laboratory reagents to major hospitals nationwide. These supplies enabled health facilities to continue emergency surgeries, blood transfusions and essential diagnostic services during peak periods of need.

To further reinforce emergency care, WHO provided support to 12 surgical teams across 8 governorates and strengthened referral pathways by funding the operation of 13 ambulances in Sana’a, Hodeida and Taiz. In parallel, 432 health workers were trained in mass casualty management and basic life support, while a 1-year national emergency medical teams framework was developed to strengthen coordinated emergency response.

Following further escalation in the southern governorates in December 2025, WHO delivered an additional 2.8 metric tons of trauma and emergency health kits, supporting 1900 surgical interventions and care for 20 000 patients. WHO also provided fuel to 11 health facilities in Hadramout, ensuring the continuity of life-saving services amid power disruptions.

“WHO’s support has enabled our surgical team to provide better care to patients arriving with severe trauma or in critical condition. Despite ongoing challenges and shortages, this support allows us to save lives every day. With continued investment in medicines, equipment and trained staff, we can strengthen this emergency centre and ensure life-saving care for the community,” says Dr Abduljaleel Hasan, an anaesthesia technician with the surgical emergency team Al-Thawra Hospital in Taiz.

As conflict persists and needs continue to rise, protecting Yemen’s health system is a life-saving imperative. Sustained, flexible funding is urgently needed to keep hospitals functioning, maintain emergency referral services and ensure health workers can respond swiftly to future escalations and save lives.

The medical team at Al-Thawra Hospital performs a surgical operation. Credit: WHO Yemen/2025

Protecting health amid floods and disease risks

In August 2025, heavy rains and flash flooding swept across 10 governorates in Yemen, compounding an already fragile humanitarian situation and sharply increasing public health risks. Floodwaters damaged infrastructure, displaced families and created conditions conducive to the spread of water-borne and vector-borne diseases, placing severe pressure on overstretched health facilities struggling to meet rising needs.

In response, the World Health Organization (WHO) rapidly mobilized life-saving support to sustain essential health services and prevent secondary health emergencies. WHO supported major hospitals with 136 metric tons of essential medicines and medical supplies, 108 units of critical medical equipment and 139 810 bottles of intravenous fluids, enabling health facilities to provide timely treatment for 27 762 patients affected by injuries, acute illnesses and complications linked to flooding.

To mitigate the heightened risk of disease outbreaks, WHO strengthened entomological surveillance and supported preventive interventions, including the provision of malaria and dengue medicines, rapid diagnostic tests and insecticides for indoor residual spraying and larvicidal campaigns in high-risk areas. These measures helped reduce transmission risks and supported early detection and response to priority diseases.

As climate-related emergencies continue to increase in frequency and severity, sustained and predictable support remains critical to protect lives, prevent outbreaks and strengthen Yemen’s capacity to anticipate, withstand and respond to future climate shocks.

Floodwaters inundate a residential area in Yemen, leaving standing water and debris that pose health and safety risks for affected communities. Credit: WHO Yemen/2025

Strengthening disease surveillance and outbreak response

Amid fragile health conditions, WHO strengthened Yemen’s capacity to detect, prevent and respond to  recurrent disease outbreaks during the year. WHO provided technical and operational support to disease surveillance and rapid response teams, including 1974 rapid response kits, enabling 1565 staff at central, governorate and district levels to verify alerts, investigate outbreaks and deliver early response interventions. WHO also supported the Electronic Integrated Disease Early Warning System and sentinel sites nationwide to strengthen epidemiological data collection and verification.

To improve cholera case management, WHO supported the operation of 27 diarrhoea treatment centres, managing more than 56 600 severe cholera cases, and trained 781 health workers on integrated outbreak case management.

“At the peak of the cholera outbreak, WHO’s support allowed us to treat severe cases quickly and effectively,” says Dr Saleh Al-Dobahi, technical supervisor at Al-Saddaqa Hospital, Aden. “With the medicines, supplies and training provided, we were able to save lives that would otherwise have been lost.”

WHO further strengthened outbreak prevention through supporting Yemen’s first national risk communication and community engagement strategy and oral cholera vaccination campaigns that reached over 3 million people. As disease threats persist, sustained and flexible funding is critical to maintain surveillance, rapidly contain outbreaks and protect lives across Yemen.

Photo caption: A cholera patient receiving care from medical staff. Credit: WHO Yemen/2025

Strengthening emergency preparedness

To strengthen Yemen’s preparedness for public health emergencies and emerging disease threats, WHO enhanced integrated, multisectoral coordination through the One Health approach, while reinforcing public health emergency operations centres (PHEOCs). WHO provided technical support to activate multisectoral One Health coordination mechanisms, strengthening core International Health Regulations (IHR) and Performance of Veterinary Services (PVS) capacities, with a focus on surveillance, laboratories and workforce development. The activation of the Zoonotic Diseases Technical Committee further improved early warning and information sharing among health, veterinary and environmental stakeholders.

In parallel, WHO supported emergency coordination by building the capacity of 33 national professionals on incident management through PHEOCs and initiated preparations for training on electronic public health emergency management to strengthen emergency reporting and event-based surveillance systems.

As health threats become increasingly complex and interconnected, sustained investment in coordinated preparedness systems is essential to protect communities, detect risks early and ensure rapid, effective responses to future public health emergencies in Yemen.

One Health workshop on information-sharing mechanisms for zoonotic diseases. Credit: WHO Yemen/2026

Strengthening laboratory and blood bank services

To enhance disease detection and ensure life-saving diagnostic and transfusion services, WHO strengthened public health laboratories and blood banks across Yemen during 2025.

WHO fully equipped 12 laboratories with essential diagnostic machinery, reagents, media and consumables, as well as integrated solar power systems to ensure uninterrupted laboratory operations amid chronic power disruptions. Field assessments were also completed to support the upgrading of general laboratories in Socotra and Al-Baidha governorates to full central public health laboratory status.

Supplies were secured for the specialized diagnosis of cholera, diphtheria, dengue and other respiratory and arboviral threats, including molecular tests, culture media and antimicrobial sensitivity testing kits. Capacity for water and food testing was strengthened to address the underlying drivers of recurrent outbreaks.

In parallel, WHO ensured a continuous supply of blood bags and consumables to blood banks, supporting trauma care and emergency surgeries.

“Strengthening laboratory and blood bank capacity is fundamental to early detection and effective response to health threats,” says Dr Wahid Al-Bakhishi, General Director of  central public health laboratory in Aden. “WHO’s support has significantly improved our ability to deliver reliable diagnostics and life-saving services, even under extremely challenging conditions.”

WHO also supported the capacity-building of 240 laboratory professionals, including in the use of digital systems. Sustained investment is essential to safeguard surveillance systems, sustain critical services and protect lives across Yemen.

Blood samples being processed for testing. Credit: WHO Yemen/2025

Saving lives where care must not stop

During 2025, WHO provided a direct lifeline support of essential utilities to the referral health facilities across Yemen, ensuring continuity of life-saving care. This included the delivery of approximately 3.96 million liters of medical oxygen to 52 health facilities in northern governorates, supporting the treatment of critically ill patients and emergency cases. To sustain facility operations and power generators for essential medical equipment, WHO supplied around 4.33 million liters of fuel to 177 health facilities nationwide (129 in the north and 48 in the south). In parallel, to strengthen infection prevention and control and maintain a safe care environment, WHO delivered approximately 41.27 million liters of safe water to 68 health facilities.

The health facilities supported through this intervention constitute a critical backbone of Yemen’s healthcare infrastructure. Collectively, they serve a catchment population of more than 20 million people across all governorates, providing a substantial level of clinical capacity, including approximately 12,000 inpatient beds, 1,079 ICU beds, and 1,011 nursery units. This scale highlights the powerful multiplier effect of the intervention: by ensuring the continuous operation of these strategically important facilities, WHO’s support for essential utilities safeguarded sustained access to both advanced and routine medical care for millions of Yemen’s most vulnerable people. The provision of fuel, safe water, and medical oxygen was the essential catalyst that enabled these facilities to sustain their life-saving functions. This foundational support translated directly into uninterrupted access to care for an estimated five million vulnerable people during the reporting period. Continued facility operations made it possible to deliver more than 6,744,736 medical consultations, safely admit and treat over 341,186 inpatients, and perform approximately 115,664 surgical procedures. Crucially, this support protected maternal and newborn survival, enabling 43,352 caesarean sections (CS) and allowing more than 100,000 mothers to give birth safely in functioning health facilities. From routine consultations to complex emergency interventions, every service depended on the continuous functioning of these health facilities, made possible through WHO’s support, demonstrating how this targeted support safeguarded human dignity and saved lives at scale. 

Health Cluster Coordination 

Despite the defunding caused by the withdrawal of the US donors from the start of the year, the Health Cluster was able to advocate for funding from other sources, including the Yemen Humanitarian Fund (YHF), and receive nearly half (47.8%) of the financial requirements under the HNRP 2025, i.e., $125.3M out of $262M. 

This allowed around 50 cluster partners to reach nearly 4.8 million affected and vulnerable people nationwide - including women of childbearing age, children, the elderly and people with disabilities - with lifesaving primary and secondary healthcare services. 

The Cluster played a vital role in the response to the floods that affected several portions of the country during mid-late 2025 through provision of medicines/supplies to partners, coordination with authorities and advocacy with OCHA and donors.

This is in addition to the coordination of the cholera response between the MoH and partners, including through integrating the mapping of DTCs/ORCs and other partner response into the Health Custer Response Monitoring Dashboard for 2025

18 February 2026, Aden, Yemen – A two-day national consultative workshop was convened in Aden to conduct Yemen’s State Party Self-Assessment Annual Reporting (SPAR) for 2025, in line with the International Health Regulations (2005) (IHR). With support from the Pandemic Preparedness and Response Project (PPRP), funded by the Pandemic Fund, the workshop brought together key national stakeholders to collectively assess the country’s readiness to prevent, detect, and respond to public health threats. The initiative strengthened collaborative engagement, promoted national ownership, and reinforced the transparency of the reporting process.

Group photo of participants at the SPAR 2025 workshop in Aden, strengthening Yemen’s health security efforts. Photo credit: WHO Yemen/Nesma Khan

Building on the findings of the 2024 SPAR submission, the workshop provided a structured platform for a comprehensive, multisectoral self-assessment using the official WHO SPAR tool. Participants reviewed progress achieved, examined existing gaps and agreed on priority actions to further strengthen Yemen’s health security system.

Emphasizing the importance of national leadership and cross-sectoral collaboration, Dr Entesar Jaber,  Deputy Assistant for Primary Health Care and the IHR-NFP at the Ministry of Public Health and Population, highlighted the value of the SPAR process for strengthening preparedness. “The SPAR assessment is not merely a reporting obligation,” she noted. “It is a critical opportunity for Yemen to reflect on its collective capacities, identify priority gaps and agree on concrete actions across sectors to better prevent, detect and respond to public health emergencies. The consensus achieved during this workshop demonstrates a strong national commitment to safeguarding public health.”

Technical groups review evidence and score Yemen’s core IHR capacities. Photo credit: WHO Yemen/Nesma Khan

The workshop opened with plenary sessions introducing the SPAR 2025 methodology, indicators and scoring system, alongside a review of the 2024 results and recent amendments to the IHR. Facilitated technical working groups then examined evidence across all IHR core capacities, including surveillance, laboratories, health emergency management, infection prevention and control, risk communication and community engagement, points of entry, zoonotic diseases, food safety, chemical events and radiation emergencies.

Participants used structured discussions to assess current capacities, verify documentation, and reach consensus on evidence-based scores for each SPAR indicator. The process highlighted strong multisectoral collaboration essential for health emergency preparedness and response.

Key stakeholders from government ministries, public health institutions, laboratories, points of entry, emergency response agencies, and security and civil defense sectors participated actively, with WHO supporting the process through technical expertise and facilitation.

Dr Entesar Jaber highlights national leadership and multisectoral collaboration to strengthen health security. Photo credit: WHO Yemen/Nesma Khan

By the end of the workshop, participants agreed on SPAR 2025 scores across all technical areas and documented the evidence underpinning each score. Key gaps, challenges and best practices were identified, alongside priority actions to guide future IHR capacity-strengthening efforts. A draft SPAR 2025 assessment report was compiled for final review by the national IHR focal point and subsequent submission in accordance with global reporting timelines.

This consultative process marks an important step in strengthening Yemen’s national health security, promoting coordinated action across sectors, and ensuring sustained progress in implementing the IHR.

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About WHO

Founded in 1948, the World Health Organization (WHO) is the United Nations agency dedicated to promoting health, keeping the world safe and serving the vulnerable. WHO leads global efforts to expand universal health coverage, coordinate responses to health emergencies and advance well-being for all.

12 February 2026, Aden, Yemen – The World Health Organization (WHO) is appealing for US$ 38.8 million to deliver life-saving emergency health assistance to 10.5 million people across Yemen in 2026, as the country enters another year of protracted conflict, disease outbreaks, climate shocks and deepening humanitarian needs.

An infant inside an incubator. Photo credit: WHO Yemen/Nesma Khan

After more than a decade of crisis, Yemen continues to face one of the world’s most complex health emergencies. An estimated 23.1 million people require humanitarian assistance, while only around 60% of health facilities remain fully functional, leaving millions without reliable access to essential care.

“Yemen’s health system is stretched to its limits,” said Dr Syed Jaffar Hussain, WHO Representative and Head of Mission in Yemen. “Without sustained and timely funding, preventable diseases will spread unchecked, health facilities will be forced to scale down services, and the most vulnerable communities will pay the highest price.”

Yemen continues to experience multiple, concurrent disease outbreaks, including cholera, measles, dengue fever and polio, driven by low immunization coverage, unsafe water and sanitation, population displacement and limited access to care. Climate-related shocks, including floods and extreme weather, are intensifying transmission risks and damaging already fragile health infrastructure.

At the same time, acute malnutrition remains a major public health threat. Millions of children are affected, with hundreds of thousands facing severe acute malnutrition requiring urgent medical treatment. Without access to timely health and nutrition services, children remain highly vulnerable to preventable and life-threatening infections.

In 2026, under the Humanitarian Reset, WHO’s response in Yemen will prioritize life-saving and time-critical interventions in areas with the highest needs. Through its leadership of the Health Cluster, WHO will continue to strengthen disease surveillance and rapid response, ensure access to essential medicines and supplies, deploy mobile and surgical teams, support immunization campaigns, and build national capacity to sustain essential health services.

“Every delay in funding translates into lost opportunities to save lives,” Dr Hussain added. “This appeal is not only about responding to emergencies – it is about preserving the foundations of Yemen’s health system and preventing further human suffering.”

WHO calls on international partners and donors to urgently scale up support to ensure that critical health services remain available to communities across Yemen throughout 2026.

Related links

WHO Health Emergency Appeal for Yemen 2026

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WHO Yemen Communications

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About WHO

Founded in 1948, the World Health Organization (WHO) is the United Nations agency dedicated to promoting health, keeping the world safe and serving the vulnerable. WHO leads global efforts to expand universal health coverage, coordinate responses to health emergencies and advance well-being for all.