Humanitarian Coordinator for Yemen Reviews Humanitarian Situation in Ta’iz and Hodeidah Governorates calls for more support to crisis-affected communities

Sana’a, 03 October 2024

Amidst a worsening humanitarian situation in Yemen, the UN Humanitarian Coordinator for Yemen, Julien Harneis, conducted visits to the governorates of Ta’iz  and (on 25 and 29 September) and Hodeidah (from 1 to 2 October) to engage with affected communities, partners and local authorities and identify ways to strengthen the United Nations and partners’ support for Yemen’s most vulnerable populations.

In Ta’iz City, HC Harneis visited a mine action project in the Salah district and was briefed by representatives from the HALO Trust organization on ongoing mine action activities. Local community leaders and residents shared the devastating impact that unexploded ordnance, including landmines has on their daily lives. He also visited the King Salman Center’s Prosthetics and Rehabilitation Program, which provides critical services to individuals affected by unexploded ordnance, including landmines.

While in Ta’iz, and Hodeidah, the Humanitarian Coordinator Harneis met with community leaders in several internally displaced people (IDPs) and refugees sites, including in Al-Makha and Al-Kakha who described the dire conditions they face, including limited access to food and shelter, clean water, sanitation and health care. He also went to the 22 May Center in the Al Mudhfar district in Ta’iz, a facility that plays a crucial role in delivering essential healthcare services to thousands, including malnutrition treatment, cholera response, and immunization campaigns.

In the city of Hodeidah, the HC visited Al-Thawra General Hospital, accompanied by representatives from OCHA, WHO, and WFP and local authorities. They heard firsthand from doctors and healthcare workers about the significant challenges the hospital faces in light of the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Hodeidah and the devastating impact of malnutrition on hundreds of families, especially women and children. 

Concluding his tour, the Humanitarian Coordinator said: “In every location I visited  I heard a unified message from the people:they want basic services and  ability  to support their families; they long to live with dignity and secure a better future for their children. National and local organizations are central to an effective humanitarian response and ongoing efforts to find durable solutions for the millions of Yemenis in need of assistance.