Humanitarian Crisis Deepens as Health Facilities Crippled in Yemen

The health sector in Yemen is on the brink of collapse as ongoing combat has rendered multiple facilities unusable. United Nations officials say nine health centres across the southern provinces of Taiz, Lahj and the port city of Al‑Hudaydah have been either damaged, forced to close, or directly targeted by attacks.

Hospitals that continue to operate are reporting severe shortages of blood, anaesthetic drugs and essential surgical equipment, making it increasingly difficult to treat the growing number of wounded civilians. An ambulance attack in Lahj province on Friday resulted in the deaths of a driver and an emergency medical worker, underscoring the heightened risk faced by medical personnel.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has documented that, since early August, about 21,000 families have been displaced, predominantly from Taiz and Lahj. The loss of homes has been accompanied by a sharp increase in the need for food, clean water and safe shelter. Funding gaps and limited access continue to impede relief efforts.

Civilian casualties remain alarmingly high. The UN Human Rights Office recorded 36 incidents that have caused 125 civilian casualties—32 killed and 93 injured—most of whom are women and children. The real figures are likely higher, given the constraints on reporting.

Pregnant women are among the most vulnerable groups. The UN Population Fund estimates more than 2,700 displaced women are expecting, with around 300 due to give birth within the next two weeks and at least 500 requiring emergency obstetric or neonatal care. Many maternity services in Taiz have been shut down, forcing some expectant mothers to deliver outdoors without qualified medical assistance.

Humanitarian actors have managed to deliver relief kits to roughly 13,000 displaced families, and the World Health Organization has supplied essential medicines and operating‑room supplies to four hospitals in Aden and Marib. OCHA urges all sides of the conflict to guarantee the safety of civilians, health workers and ambulances, and calls for unhindered humanitarian access.