The spread of malaria has intensified in various Yemeni provinces due to the seasonal rains that have led to the formation of waterlogged marshes, coinciding with widespread garbage accumulation. Accusations of corruption, neglect, and embezzlement of funds designated for disease prevention and control programs have been directed at the Houthi group, which governs these areas.
Health sector sources within the Houthi-controlled area in Sanaa disclosed to Asharq Al-Awsat that there have been over 2,250 malaria-related deaths reported over the past two months, with more than 82,000 infections recorded in provinces including Sanaa, Al Hudaydah, Ibb, Dhamar, Raymah, Hajjah, Al Mahwit, and Amran. The majority of these deaths were among children under five, pregnant women, and the elderly.
The sources attributed the outbreak to the ongoing confiscation and looting of resources by the Houthi group from the National Malaria Control Centre and various local offices and NGOs involved in disease control in the regions under their control for years.
Doctors in Sanaa, during their conversations with Asharq Al-Awsat, expressed concerns that the actual number of malaria cases might be higher than reported due to reliance on electronic surveillance and early warning systems for epidemic outbreaks. They also criticized the traditional methods being used by the Houthi health sector to combat the outbreak, which mainly include distributing mosquito nets in certain areas while the majority of the population struggles with access to early diagnosis and treatment due to the health program’s deficiencies.
The World Health Organization (WHO) previously warned that 65% of the Yemeni population (approximately 19.5 million people) is at risk of contracting malaria. This is exacerbated by the fact that half of the country’s health facilities are non-operational, and those that are functional operate partially with a severe shortage of essential medicines and medical equipment.
Doctors Without Borders highlighted the ongoing impact of malaria on thousands of Yemenis amid a weakened health system due to the ongoing conflict. The organization treated over 10,000 people affected by the disease in 2017.
Malnutrition rates in Yemen have also increased the susceptibility to malaria, especially among vulnerable groups such as children under five, pregnant women, and the elderly due to weakened immune systems. United Nations estimates indicate that more than 21 million Yemenis live in areas at risk of malaria, with over one million cases occurring annually.
Meanwhile, the World Health Organization, in partnership with the German government, continues to provide protection against infections in healthcare facilities by supplying clean water and necessary prevention and control supplies. The King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre has also launched a comprehensive campaign aimed at reducing the spread of malaria and viral fevers in several liberated Yemeni provinces, particularly Al Hudaydah, which is among the most epidemic-stricken provinces.
