UN health agency warns of new Yemen cholera surge after Saudi strikes hit medical facilities
The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned that Yemen is likely to be struck by another “major wave” of cholera cases after a series of airstrikes by Saudi Arabia struck water facilities and medical infrastructure in the port city of Hudaydah.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned that Yemen is likely to be struck by another “major wave” of cholera cases after a series of airstrikes by Saudi Arabia struck water facilities and medical infrastructure in the port city of Hudaydah.
WHO’s emergency response director, Peter Salama, during a press briefing in the Swiss city of Geneva on Friday, called for a three-day truce to allow vaccinations.
“We are calling on all parties to the conflict to act in accordance with international humanitarian law and to respect the request of the international community for three full days of tranquility to lay down arms and to allow us to vaccinate the civilian population,” he added.
Elsewhere in his remarks, Salama explained that the vaccination drive is set to run from Saturday to Monday and is aiming to target more than 500,000 people.
Earlier on Friday, Lise Grande, the UN’s humanitarian coordinator in Yemen, voiced shock at the strike on the al-Thawra hospital, saying it had put the cholera response at risk.
