This comes as the vaccination campaign in the region faces cutbacks due to a significant lack of funding.
The reported figures until July reveal a distressing scenario, with over 34,000 suspected cases of measles and rubella causing 413 deaths. This constitutes a substantial rise compared to last year's statistics, which recorded 27,000 cases and 220 associated fatalities, according to the UN health agency.
The situation is further complicated by the glaring inadequacy of funds allocated to vaccination programs, as noted by Arturo Pesigan, the WHO Representative in Yemen.
He emphasized the ideal scenario of a comprehensive outbreak response vaccination campaign that targets all children under the age of 10 for maximum effectiveness. However, the existing funding gap has eroded support, leading to the limitation of the campaign's scope to children under five years of age, a group characterized by higher mortality rates.
Measles and rubella, both highly contagious viral diseases, remain significant contributors to childhood mortality and congenital anomalies. Although specific treatments are absent, these diseases can be averted through the application of safe and cost-efficient vaccines.
Yemen's grueling eight-year-long conflict has plunged the nation into a severe humanitarian crisis. With over 21 million people – approximately two-thirds of the population – in need of humanitarian assistance, the situation is dire.
The surge in measles and rubella cases unfolds against a backdrop of prolonged economic collapse, widespread poverty, mass displacement, and the overburdening of healthcare systems.
The predicament is exacerbated by the considerable number of children who are unable to access inoculations. Estimates from the United Nations indicate that 27 percent of children under the age of one have either not received the required measles and rubella vaccines or have not completed the essential dosage regimen for complete protection. (ILKHA)