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Yemen battling variant poliovirus outbreak amid humanitarian crisis
On World Polio Day, WHO and UNICEF warn of an alarming number of variant poliovirus cases
24 October 2024, Sana’a/Aden, Yemen — Yemen continues to battle an outbreak of variant poliovirus, with 273 cases reported over the last three years amid a humanitarian crisis and declining vaccination rates, the World Health Organization (WHO) and United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) warned today.
This World Polio Day, the data paints an alarming picture that polio, a disease that can cause irreversible paralysis and death, and which can be prevented by vaccination, continues to threaten the lives of children in Yemen. This comes at a time when Yemen’s children are faced with life threatening problems such as cholera, diphtheria, and malnutrition.
In Yemen, which until 2020 had been polio-free for decades, national polio immunization coverage dropped from 58 per cent in 2022 to 46 per cent in 2023 due to the fragility of the health system and the social, political and security crisis.
“The outbreak of variant poliovirus type 2 in Yemen persists amidst increasing health emergencies, further straining an already overburdened health system. Through renewed collective action and customised strategies that integrate health services with polio vaccination for Yemen’s children, we can enhance outbreak response and surveillance, making significant progress towards eradicating the spread of variant poliovirus in Yemen,” said Dr Arturo Pesigan, WHO Representative and Head of Mission in Yemen.
To bridge the immunization gap and combat the surge in polio cases, WHO and UNICEF are teaming up with the Ministry of Health and other partners to reach missed children and underserved communities. Since 2023, a series of polio immunization campaigns have been conducted. The two campaigns conducted in 2024 reached 1.2 million children in the first round in February, and over 1.3 million children in the second round in July, representing 100 per cent and 102 per cent coverage respectively.
In addition, the Ministry of Health, WHO, UNICEF, Gavi and other partners are joining forces to implement the Big Catch-up initiative which aims to restore and accelerate routine immunization services for children who missed vital vaccines including during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Despite ongoing challenges, particularly in governorates in the areas controlled by the De-facto Authorities, the authorities and health partners have jointly launched the Health Emergency Expansion Response (HEER) initiative. This initiative aims to extend integrated primary health care (PHC) services, including vaccination. The focus is on reaching underserved areas, enhancing health equity, and addressing the ongoing polio and measles outbreaks.
“The battle against polio is challenging in a fragile, conflict-affected context like Yemen. But eradication is within reach. We need to gather efforts with the local authorities, health professionals and community leaders among other partners to ensure that every child is vaccinated against polio and other preventable diseases,” said Peter Hawkins, UNICEF Representative to Yemen.
While efforts are underway, additional support and resources are needed to step up initiatives to end polio and save the lives of vulnerable children. WHO and UNICEF are calling on governments, partners and donors to:
Prioritize the vaccination of all children against polio through vaccination campaigns.
Strengthen immunization systems to ensure all children receive essential, life-saving vaccines.
Deliver an integrated package of health services, including polio vaccine.
Protect humanitarian and health care workers delivering vaccines.
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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For more information, please contact:
Megumi Iizuka
Chief of Communications & Advocacy
UNICEF Yemen
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.
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WHO Yemen Communications
WHO Yemen
Al Ghaydah General Hospital finds synergies in addressing quality of care and antimicrobial resistance
4 September 2024, Lahj, Yemen – Al Ghaydah General Hospital now has a quality team in place, which has led to notable improvements in hospital operations, especially in the areas of hygiene, disinfection and sterilization.
The 100-bed hospital opened in 1979 and caters to a catchment area of about 500 000 people. In 2023, it took a significant step towards enhancing health care quality and safety by creating a dedicated quality team. This team works with a quality committee led by the hospital director.
Enhancements led by the quality team have not only elevated the safety and cleanliness of the hospital environment but have also contributed to an increased demand for services. This reflects the community’s growing trust in the facility’s capabilities.
In addition, the hospital has embraced self-financing of continuous professional education programmes for its staff, to uphold high standards of care – and keep improving on these.
A key focus for the hospital has been the fight against antimicrobial resistance, an issue of global concern. Through targeted culture examinations for all patients in intensive care, the hospital has personalized its approach to antibiotic treatment. In this way, it aims to effectively manage infections while conserving patient immunity and curtailing the spread of resistance. This initiative is part of the hospital’s broader commitment to enhance antibiotic stewardship and reduce the occurrence of resistant infections.
Moreover, Al Ghaydah General Hospital has optimized its waste management processes, adding an incinerator for efficient waste disposal. It has implemented the WHO Safe Childbirth Checklist, as well as rigorous management of patient medical records. And it has introduced a triage policy in the emergency department, exemplifying the hospital’s dedication to efficient patient flow and prioritization based on clinical urgency.
By making these changes and aligning operations with WHO-recommended practices, Al Ghaydah General Hospital underscores its unwavering commitment to health care quality and patient safety.
WHO supports quality of care capacity-building in this hospital as part of the Emergency Human Capital Project implemented in partnership with the World Bank.
Ibn Khaldoun Hospital takes comprehensive action for patient safety
4 September 2024, Lahj, Yemen – Ibn Khaldoun Hospital in Lahj embarked on a journey towards enhanced health care quality and management stability under the leadership of Dr Majeed Atif. This endeavour began soon after his appointment as hospital director in 2022.
A dedicated quality team and committee were set up in 2022, marking a new era of commitment to quality improvement and patient safety. The hospital, which opened its doors in 1990, has a 250-bed capacity and serves a significant catchment area of more than 1.5 million people.
Its management has since undertaken several initiatives to ensure continuous quality improvement. A cornerstone of these efforts is the development of an annual quality plan. This is rigorously followed up and evaluated to ensure ongoing advances in hospital operations and patient care.
Further strengthening its commitment to patient safety, Ibn Khaldoun Hospital has implemented WHO checklists for safe surgeries and childbirth. It has also established policies for accurate patient identification at all stages of diagnosis and treatment.
In line with WHO-recommended infection prevention and control measures, the hospital has adopted Yemen’s national infection prevention and control guidelines. These include enhanced hygiene practices, advanced sterilization and safe injection protocols, proper management of health care waste, and consistent use of personal protective equipment. Handwashing stations have also been set up across the hospital to reinforce efforts to prevent the spread of infections.
In the realm of pharmaceutical management, Ibn Khaldoun Hospital prioritizes the safe handling of high-risk medications and the precise monitoring of patient records. This approach ensures drug safety and appropriate treatment.
This multipronged approach – spanning planning, adoption of protocols and guidelines, and investments in patient records management and medical supplies and consumables – is contributing to enhanced quality of care for patients in Lahj governorate.
WHO supports quality of care capacity-building in this hospital as part of the Emergency Human Capital Project implemented in partnership with the World Bank.
Khalifa Hospital applies protocols to enhance patient safety during surgery and childbirth
4 September 2024, Taizz, Yemen – In 2023, Khalifa Hospital in Taizz significantly boosted its commitment to quality health care by adding a dedicated quality team. Focusing on infection prevention and control, follow-up and evaluation, this team works with a quality committee led by the hospital director.
Established in 1989, this 220-bed capacity hospital is a vital health facility, serving a catchment area of about 1 million people. Annually, the hospital has 55 000 outpatient visits, 17 000 emergency cases and 5000 inpatient admissions.
The quality team has noticeably improved the hospital’s services. This progress was acknowledged on World Patient Safety Day, 17 September 2023. Both WHO and the Ministry of Public Health and Population celebrated the hospital for its adoption of safety protocols for surgery and childbirth. This approach underscores the facility’s commitment to enhance patient safety and quality of care.
A WHO team visited Khalifa Hospital in October 2023, as part of implementing the Emergency Human Capital Project (EHCP), and met with key health workers in the surgical and maternity departments. Dr Mazen Al-Zuberi, General Manager; Dr Abdullah Noamaan, District Health Office Manager; and Dr Abdulazeez Al-Selwi, Head of the Quality Department, shared insights into the transformative impact of adopting the WHO Surgical Safety Checklist.
This tool has significantly reduced medical errors and enhanced patient safety – a major stride towards better quality of care. Anaesthetist Dr Basheer Abbas shared the Surgical Safety Checklist’s practical benefits, emphasizing its role in identifying patients with underlying conditions that contraindicate surgery, thereby enhancing personalized patient care.
In 2023, Khalifa Hospital embarked on a crucial WHO-led training initiative, with sessions aiming to strengthen infection prevention and control practices. This pivotal effort led to significantly enhanced hand hygiene protocols and more effective use of personal protective equipment. Both will contribute to reduce health care-associated infections.
Integrating the Surgical Safety Checklist, as well as the WHO Safe Childbirth Checklist, into clinical routines substantially improves the safety of surgical and childbirth procedures. The hospital has also advanced its waste management and sterilization processes, reinforcing a safe and clean treatment environment.
The hospital expects these improvements to lead to lower maternal and neonatal mortality rates and a decrease in postsurgical complications. The initiative has also sparked a cultural shift towards prioritizing safety and quality of care.
WHO supports quality of care capacity-building in this hospital as part of the Emergency Human Capital Project implemented in partnership with the World Bank.
