Health Minister Meets UNICEF Representative in Yemen

YemenExtra

SH.A.

Minister of Public Health and Population Dr. Taha Al-Mutawakel discussed  UNICEF Resident Representative in Yemen, Meritxell Relano, the coordination mechanism between the Ministry and the Organization, especially regarding the projects implemented by UNICEF in Yemen.

The meeting, which was attended by Undersecretary for the Services Sector, Dr. Abdulaziz Al-Dailami, discussed the reasons behind the delay in the implementation of immunization campaigns and the importance of establishing a laboratory to examine vaccines.

During the meeting, Dr. Al-Mutawakel stressed the importance of the partnership between the Ministry and UNICEF, especially with regard to maternal and child programs, preparing plans and reports, and appreciating UNICEF efforts in supporting the health sector.

In her turn, Ms. Relano reviewed the programs and projects implemented by UNICEF during the current year, pointing out the need to implement new campaigns to address the cholera epidemic.

An estimated 85,000 children under five may have starved to death in Yemen since 2015, according to Save the Children. Almost half of Yemen’s children are chronically malnourished, which can stunt their growth, World Health Organisation spokesman Christian Lindmeier confirmed. “Thousands of under-nourished people are dying of diarrhoea, pneumonia and measles,”.