Local Editor
Yemeni and international medical communities are mourning the loss of a colleague who passed away on Thursday.
Dr. Mohammed Abdul-Mughni, was a veteran pediatrician who dedicated himself to treating cholera patients and children in Sana'a over the past two years.
Since the beginning of 2019, the United Nations reported more than 109,000 suspected cases of cholera, including nearly 200 deaths in Yemen. Children represent 27 percent of the total number of suspected cases.
The veteran doctor contracted cholera before losing the battle against the widely spreading disease in the war-torn country.
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) expressed its sorrow for Abdul-Mughni’s passing.
“We @ICRC_ye are deeply saddened by the passing away of Dr. Abdul Mughni. Yemen’s shrinking community of health workers represents hope to millions of Yemenis who struggle to obtain proper healthcare in the remaining health facilities. A vicious circle of pain & helplessness,” the international aid organization wrote in a Twitter post.
The Yemeni people and health workers are still reeling from the devastation caused by the cholera epidemic that engulfed the country over the past two years. The outbreak that erupted in April 2017 is the worst in recorded history. It affected more than 1.2 million people, killing more than 2,500.
The World Health Organization reports 239 districts in Yemen have reported suspected cholera cases within the last four weeks.
Cholera is an acute diarrheal disease that can kill within hours if left untreated. It is caused by a bacterium found in contaminated food and water. Up to 80 percent of cases can be successfully treated with oral rehydration solution. Severe cases will require intravenous fluids and antibiotics.
The U.N. children’s fund and WHO are calling for the lifting of all restrictions on their humanitarian operations. They say they must have full access to every child, woman and man in need of medical and other aid to bring this outbreak to an end.
Source: News Agencies, Edited by Website Team
