Local Editor
The Irish Red Cross has committed €25,000 to help in the fight against a major cholera outbreak in Yemen.
It follows the deployment of two Irish staff members in 2016 to help in the response to Yemen’s ongoing war and famine which has left 19 million Yemenis reliant on humanitarian aid.
According to the Irish Red Cross, there are 124,000 suspected cases from the current outbreak which has already claimed the lives of 923 people.
One in every 250 Yemenis is suspected to have contracted cholera as heavy rains and uncollected waste accelerate the spread of the disease.
In addition, food is no longer available to almost half the population and access to clean, safe water is severely limited.
The group also claims that Yemen’s health care system is near total collapse and lack of fuel and supplies has forced hundreds of hospitals to close.
John Roche, Head of International Relations at the Irish Red Cross, said: "The clinics that are open are running dangerously low on medicine, equipment and fuel."
He said that 600 healthcare facilities have been forced to close because of the shortages, leaving only 45% of hospitals operational in the whole country and less than 30% of the needed medicine and medical supplies available.
"The urgency of the situation in Yemen cannot be overemphasised. On average, 20 people - women, children, men - die there every day, many from treatable wounds and curable illnesses," added Mr Roche.
Source: News Agencies, Edited by Website Team
