Child malnutrition and survival in Yemen
In Yemen today, over 2.25 million children under age 5 are estimated to suffer from acute malnutrition. Fortunately, thousands of these children are being nourished from the brink of death back to health – at 92 WHO-supported therapeutic feeding centers (TFCs) across Yemen.
“The scenes of the destruction that befell my house are still present in my mind,” said Amani, 22, recalling her forced displacement along with her husband and two children from the city of Al Hudaydah, in northwest Yemen.
That was three years ago. Today, Amani, her husband and two children live together with Amani’s parents and seven sisters in a two-room house in the southern Yemen city of Aden. The home is barely large enough for all 13 family members to sleep side by side.
“We can barely afford the 50,000 rial (about USD100) that we must pay for rent each month,” Amani said. “My son Hamza has brain damage, so he is unable to speak, walk or even understand us when we speak with him. My heart breaks with so much pain. There are no words that can capture it, this pain I feel for Hamza.”
Over the past weeks, Hamza’s life has been further and gravely threatened by severe acute malnutrition. After seeking hospital care for Hamza, Amani brought him to the Al Buraikah therapeutic feeding center (TFC) in Aden. This TFC, like 90 others spread across Yemen, is supported by the World Health Organization (WHO), in partnership with the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSrelief).
Hamza was helped in time -- treated and nourished from the brink of death, back to health by at the Al Buraikah TFC – and at no cost to Amani and her family.
Nesreen, 33, has a five-month-old daughter, Reeman. Born severely malnourished and suffering from multiple medical complications, Nesreen borrowed money to bring Reeman to the WHO-supported Ibn Khaldoon therapeutic feeding center in Lahj, Yemen.
“My greatest wish in life is to see Reeman grow up healthy -- she is so tiny compared to other children her age.”, said Nesreen. “Since I gave birth to her, she has been very sick. My husband does not receive a regular salary because of the crisis our country is going through. So we are so very grateful that we do not have to pay for this treatment.”
Amal Nasser, 13, brought her little brother Abdulqader to the Al Burikah therapeutic feeding center in Aden. They were displaced by conflict in Al Hudaydah, and now live together with thousands of other internally displaced persons (IDPs) in the vicinity of Aden.
“We are IDPs (internally displaced persons) from Hudaydah and most of us are malnourished,” said Amal. “I am hungry and sick, but I must care for my little brother, not only myself.”
Abdulqader was severely malnourished and now has gained some weight and is slowly recovering. “My brother was extremely thin, I’m so happy that he is getting better now,” concluded Amal.
WHO in partnership with KSrelief has equipped and supported TFCs across Yemen with essential medical, laboratory and water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) supplies. Nearly 1,300 paid medical workers maintain life-saving nutrition interventions, and more than 700 have also been supported with updated treatment procedures and capacity-building. All services of these TFCs are provided without charge, while consistently meeting quality standards.
The Yemen confict– now entering its seventh year – has given rise to the world’s largest and most complex humanitarian crisis. Two-thirds of Yemenis – more than 20 million people – need humanitarian assistance and protection this year. Approximately three of four Yemeni children are chronically malnourished, and more than two million below age five are expected to experience acute malnutrition this year. Two-thirds of the Yemeni population lack access to clean water and sanitation. Only half of the country’s health facilities are fully or partially functioning, and those that remain open lack qualified health staff, essential medicines and medical equipment.
More needs to be done to save infants and children like Hamza, Reeman, and Abdulqader from starvation. It is therefore critical that this work continues with support from WHO, in partnership with the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center.
Story: Laila Asda, Kevin Cook / WHO-Yemen
Photos: Omar Nasr, Kevin Cook / WHO-Yemen