Yemen food insecurity worsens

Food insecurity in Yemen is high in areas characterized by fighting, which leads to access restrictions for humanitarian food assistance and to markets, and causes constant population displacements. In terms of severity, the 16 worst affected districts, in IPC Phase 4 (Emergency), are located in eight governorates: Al Dhale’e, Marib, Al Bayda, Shabwah, Abyan, Taizz, Al Jawf and Hadramaut. In terms of magnitude, the governorates with the highest numbers of people in crisis or worse (IPC Phase 3+) are Taizz (with 590,000 affected people), Lahj (487,500 people) and Hadramaut (465,500 people). The increase in people in IPC Phase 3 (Crisis) and above is concentrated in the six governorates: Abyan, Aden, Al Dhale’e, Hadramaut, Lahj and Taizz, where 83 percent of the increase is forecast.

At the same time, many buildings in some Yemeni cities affected by heavy rainfall are now collapsing. The poor infrastructure in the country's historic cities reportedly cannot deal with the torrential rain and floods, causing another disaster that comes on the heels of years of conflict and neglect by the warring parties. Several historic monuments and buildings in the UNESCO-listed Old City of Sana’a have already collapsed. Many of the mud houses and multistory tower buildings in Sana’a’s historic neighborhoods, which have been inhabited for 2,500 years, have partially collapsed due to the exceptional heavy rainfall.  Authorities in Yemen do not have the funds to maintain necessary infrastructure and essential welfare and support services.

Funding shortfall in Yemen risks lives

The Yemen Rapid Response Mechanism is massively underfunded in Yemen, putting at risk the provision of immediate relief packages given to newly displaced people. This will leave 840,000 newly displaced persons without life-saving supplies. Similarly, the distribution of hygiene kits to newly displaced persons will stop, putting 300,000 people at a heightened risk of contracting deadly waterborne diseases. Furthermore, 70 percent of migrant assistance services including specialized protection services, migrant service centres and return programs will be drastically reduced, affecting 100,000 destitute and highly vulnerable migrants. Specialized services for gender-based violence (GBV) survivors in 29 safe spaces and 4 specialized psychological centres will stop in August, depriving 350,000 people of these services and, 40,000 highly vulnerable people will lose access to psychological services. And without urgent funding, allocations from the Yemen Humanitarian Fund, will be drastically reduced, significantly weakening the capacity of partners to respond to emerging life-saving priorities and urgent gaps in humanitarian assistance in Yemen.

COVID case load in Yemen

At the end of August, the total reported COVID caseload in Yemen is 1,950, with 564 reported deaths. While humanitarian partners continue to procure COVID response goods and equipment, it is notable that many metrics have remained unchanged for weeks. For example, the numbers of ventilators procured and in pipeline, total items of PPE, tests provided, and oxygen cylinders available has not changed since at least the beginning of July. Funding for the COVID response has increased slightly to nearly $76M of $386M needed to adequately respond to the COVID outbreak in Yemen.

Humanitarian Advisors continue to see that more people are symptomatic and are dying with COVID-like symptoms in Yemen despite official statistics not increasing significantly.  Health partners remain concerned that that there has been under-reporting for a variety of reasons including a shortage of testing facilities, difficulties in accessing health care, fear of stigma, the perceived risks of seeking treatment, and a lack of official reporting. While there have recently been fewer indications of severe and critical cases, health professionals are very concerned that people who are asymptomatic continue to transmit the virus, and urge communities to observe preventative measures including maintaining physical distancing, wearing masks, reinforcing cough etiquette and hand hygiene, avoiding crowds, and staying home if people are sick.  The impact of COVID on children in Yemen remains concerning, but not yet fully understood by humanitarian or government actors.