Houthi Escalation Worsens Health Collapse.. 17,000 Cases of Cholera and Dengue

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The military escalation carried out by the Houthi terrorist militia has exacerbated the pressures on the health sector in Yemen, at a time when the World Health Organization warns of pushing the fragile health system into further deterioration, coinciding with the registration of more than 17,000 cases of cholera and dengue fever and 59 deaths, according to data from the latest health assessment.

The international organization stated that violence, displacement, damage to health facilities, and shortages of staff and medicines hinder the population's access to basic services, while only about 60% of health facilities in the country are operating at full capacity.

The pressures on hospitals have intensified as limited medical capabilities have been redirected to deal with the injuries from the escalation, while health facilities in areas affected by the fighting have been damaged or halted, threatening a decline in basic care services, especially for the displaced, children, and women.

The World Health Organization warned that overcrowding in displacement sites, along with a lack of safe water and sanitation services, increases the risks of disease and epidemic outbreaks.

It was confirmed that cholera and dengue fever remain among the most significant health challenges in Yemen, amid weak response capacity and funding shortages.

The World Health Organization estimates its health response needs in Yemen for 2026 at approximately $38.8 million, amidst ongoing funding gaps that threaten to reduce medical services.

Thus, the impact of the escalation is not limited to direct losses, but extends to the depletion of a health system that has already suffered from years of war and collapse, raising the risks of displacement and the deterioration of services and unsafe water becoming additional factors for the spread of diseases in affected areas.