WHO Yemen: Saving lives on the frontline: how the Contingency Fund for Emergencies sustained Yemen’s health response in 2025

Aden, Yemen

Conflict intensified across Yemen in 2025. Repeated air and naval strikes placed immense pressure on the already fragile health system. Hospitals, which were already struggling with critical shortages of medicines, medical supplies and functioning referral services in Sana’a, Hodeida, Al-Baidha and other affected governorates, faced a sudden surge in trauma cases.

For injured civilians, access to lifesaving care depended on the ability of health facilities to continue operating under extremely challenging conditions. At this critical moment, the World Health Organization (WHO) rapidly mobilized support through the Contingency Fund for Emergencies (CFE), enabling an immediate scale up of lifesaving health services.

Through this rapid financing mechanism, WHO delivered more than 60 metric tons of essential medicines and medical supplies to hospitals across Yemen. The shipments included intravenous fluids, trauma emergency surgical kits (TESK), Interagency Emergency Health Kits (IEHK), blood bags and laboratory reagents, allowing hospitals to continue performing emergency surgeries, blood transfusions and critical diagnostic services.

The supplies helped health facilities provide lifesaving care to more than 200 000 people affected by the escalating violence. 

CFE support to Yemen in 2025 strengthened emergency care capacity, with 6 WHO-supported surgical teams performing over 2000 major lifesaving surgeries and providing consultations and treatment for more than 7000 patients in Sana’a city, Hodeida, Al-Baidha and Al-Dhale’e. Sixteen ambulances supported referral services, enabling the safe transport of 1800 critical patients to facilities capable of providing advanced medical care in Sana’a, Hodeida, Marib and Taiz.

To improve emergency preparedness, WHO trained 296 health workers in mass casualty management and basic life support, strengthening the ability of hospitals to respond to sudden surges of trauma cases. Six mobile health teams delivered essential primary health care services to more than 42 000 internally displaced people and vulnerable communities in Hodeida, Hajjah and Taiz.

To keep hospitals functioning amid severe electricity shortages, with CFE support WHO supplied around 610 000 litres of fuel to 59 health facilities across northern Yemen, powering generators for operating theatres, laboratories and critical medical equipment and enabling continued emergency care for over 22 000 patients.

Though these interventions saved lives and helped stabilize critical services, Yemen’s health system remains under enormous strain. Continued international support and flexible emergency funding are essential to sustain lifesaving operations, protect health services and ensure that millions of Yemenis continue to receive the care they urgently need.