Aden, Yemen Thousands of people in Yemen’s conflict-affected districts are gaining access to essential health services thanks to support from the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) through the Yemen Humanitarian Fund (YHF).In Lawdar (Abyan), Al Bayda City, Al Husha and Far' Al Udayn districts, OCHA-funded projects implemented by the World Health Organization (WHO) have strengthened access to emergency and trauma care, care for noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), communicable disease response and maternal and child health services, allowing vulnerable communities to access lifesaving health services closer to where they live.Designed to address critical health needs in areas heavily affected by conflict and limited access to health care, the projects have targeted more than 42 000 people, including internally displaced persons, women, children and people living with chronic illnesses. Strengthening emergency and trauma careFor people injured during conflicts or as a result of accidents, timely surgical care can mean the difference between life and death.With OCHA's support, WHO deployed and supported surgical teams in Al Bayda, Far' Al Udayn and Lawdar. Between August 2025 and February 2026, these teams conducted 864 surgical operations, well above the original target of 462 lifesaving procedures.At Al-Thawrah Hospital in Al Bayda, surgical teams performed 461 operations. At Al-Mazhan Hospital in Far' Al Udayn they performed 173 operations, while 230 operations were completed at Mahnf Hospital in Lawdar.In addition, the provision of essential emergency and trauma medicines and medical supplies to key health facilities has helped frontline health workers provide lifesaving treatment to patients in need.Enhancing outbreak detection and disease responseYemen continues to face recurrent outbreaks of cholera, measles and other communicable diseases. To strengthen preparedness and response capacities, WHO supplied essential communicable disease medicines, oral rehydration salts, intravenous fluids and rapid response team (RRT) kits to 4 health facilities serving high-risk communities, and supported 207 RRT field missions, surpassing the original target of 166.The deployments enabled health teams to investigate suspected outbreaks, conduct disease surveillance, trace contacts and support timely containment measures during cholera and measles outbreaks.By strengthening disease detection and response systems, the interventions reduced the risk of wider transmission among vulnerable populations.Protecting mothers and childrenMaternal and child health services are among Yemen’s most pressing health care needs. Through support to Al-Thawrah General Hospital in Al Bayda and Al-Mazhan Rural Hospital in Far' Al Udayn, WHO provided essential medicines, medical supplies and operational support to sustain maternal and child health care services. As a result, health facilities were able to perform:14 316 gynaecological and obstetric consultations;4652 antenatal care consultations;12 081 paediatric consultations; and2693 skilled birth-attended deliveries, including normal deliveries and caesarean sections.No maternal deaths were recorded in the supported facilities during the reporting period.For thousands of women and children, these services have helped ensure safer pregnancies, safer births and improved access to quality health care.Supporting people living with chronic diseasesFor patients living with diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular diseases and other chronic conditions, interruptions in treatment can have serious consequences. To avoid this, WHO procured and distributed essential medicines for noncommunicable diseases to 4 targeted health facilities across Al Bayda, Al Husha, Far' Al Udayn and Lawdar.The intervention enabled 5233 people to access essential NCD treatment and helped health facilities maintain uninterrupted chronic disease services, reducing the risk of complications and preventable illness.A partnership that saves livesThe interventions demonstrate how targeted humanitarian investments can strengthen health services and save lives in some of Yemen's most vulnerable communities."At a time when millions of people in Yemen continue to face immense health challenges, the support provided by OCHA through the Yemen Humanitarian Fund has been instrumental in ensuring that vulnerable communities can access lifesaving health services," said WHO Representative and Head of Mission in Yemen Dr Syed Jaffar Hussain."Through this partnership, WHO has been able to strengthen emergency and trauma care, support outbreak response, sustain maternal and child health services and ensure continuity of care for people living with chronic diseases. We sincerely thank OCHA and the Yemen Humanitarian Fund for their commitment to protecting health and saving lives across Yemen."As humanitarian needs continue to grow, sustained support from humanitarian partners is essential to ensure that vulnerable communities across Yemen can access the health care services they urgently need.

Al Maharah - “I felt invisible. Every day was filled with fear and pain. When he threw me out, I had nowhere to go and no one to help me,” recalls Fatima, 20 years and nine months pregnant from Al Maharah Governorate.  She had endured months of psychological and physical violence before her husband abandoned her while pregnant.Fatima fled to Al Ghaydah City to stay with her brother and his wife, hoping for safety. Instead, she faced more emotional abuse and neglect. As her pregnancy advanced, her health worsened. Anxiety, malnutrition, and exhaustion left her fearful for her life and her unborn child.“When I realized I was getting weaker, I was terrified,” she says. “I couldn’t sleep at night. I kept thinking—what if I die before seeing my baby?”When she finally convinced her sister-in law to take her to the nearest health facilities, doctors told her she needed an urgent caesarean section to survive. With no money and no one to turn to, Fatima returned home in despair.After more than a decade of crisis in Yemen the healthcare system remains severely strained. Nearly 5 million women of childbearing age have limited or no access to reproductive health services, including an estimated 1.3 million pregnant women. Only 46.9 percent of Yemeni women give birth at a health facility; and less than 30 percent of pregnant women receive any form of antenatal care.A safe space and a second ChanceA nurse at the hospital noticed Fatima’s distress and referred her to the women and girls safe space in Al Ghaydah—supported by UNFPA.“When I entered the safe space, I felt something I hadn’t felt in a long time—kindness,” Fatima told UNFPA. “For the first time, someone listened to me without judgment.”Recognizing the urgency of her condition, the safe space team coordinated with UNFPA’s local reproductive health partner, Human Access, to provide an emergency cash assistance voucher. This support covered the cost of transport and essential medical tests.At the same time, Fatima began receiving psychological support to help her cope with trauma and rebuild her confidence.“The psychologist helped me understand that what happened to me was not my fault,” Fatima shares. “She helped me believe that I could be strong again.”A coordinated response for timely careUNFPA provide cash vouchers to pregnant and breastfeeding women to cover transportation or medical costs to help them access health facilities for lifesaving reproductive health services. Designed as a performance-based financing mechanism, the voucher model has help stimulate demand for reproductive health services while strengthening service provision.In 2025, nearly 6,000 people were reached with cash voucher assistance by UNFPA, including more than 2,200 pregnant and postpartum women. In 2026,  cash assistance for the provision of reproductive health and women’s protection services is being supported by the Government of Iceland.The integrated response—linking protection, health, and cash assistance—proved life-saving. Within hours, Fatima was admitted for surgery. The caesarean section was performed successfully, and both she and her baby survived.“When I heard my baby cry for the first time, I cried too,” she says. “It was the sound of life, of hope.”Today, Fatima’s health has stabilized. She continues to receive psychological support and guidance from the safe space team as she rebuilds her life and cares for her newborn.“I want my child to grow up in safety and dignity,” Fatima says. “The support I received saved both our lives. It gave me the strength to start again.”
 

7 July 2026, Aden, Yemen  Efforts to strengthen tobacco control in Yemen met with international recognition during the 2026 World No Tobacco Day (WNTD) campaign.Held under the World Health Organization (WHO) global theme Unmasking the appeal – countering nicotine and tobacco addiction, the campaign highlighted the need to expose deceptive tobacco industry tactics that target children and young people through flavoured products, e-cigarettes, synthetic nicotine, nicotine salts and digital marketing.A highlight of the campaign was the announcement of the 2026 World No Tobacco Day awards during which Dr Shayea Mohsen Al-Zindani, Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Yemen, was recognized by WHO for his outstanding commitment to advancing tobacco control and protecting public health. With the announcement, Yemen joined other award-winning countries from the Eastern Mediterranean Region, including the Islamic Republic of Iran, Libya, Pakistan and Tunisia, reflecting the Region's collective commitment to reducing the burden of disease caused by tobacco use.The National Tobacco Control Programme, of the Ministry of Public Health and Population in collaboration with  WHO, organized a high-level national roundtable in Aden bringing together decision-makers, government institutions, health experts, media representatives, youth leaders and development partners to strengthen multisectoral action against tobacco and emerging nicotine products. Discussions focused on the growing threat posed by the tobacco industry’s aggressive marketing strategies targeting children and adolescents. The need for stronger legislation, its effective enforcement, increased public awareness and coordinated action across the health, education, media, sports and community sectors were all underlined.“Every child deserves to grow up free from tobacco and nicotine addiction,” said WHO Representative and Head of Mission in Yemen Dr Syed Jaffar Hussain. "Protecting future generations requires strong leadership, effective legislation, sustained public awareness and collective action across government and society."The roundtable concluded with participants reaffirming their commitment to reinforce tobacco control measures, strengthen institutional collaborations and promote healthier environments to protect future generations from the health, social and economic harms of tobacco use.The campaign underlined Yemen's determination to implement evidence-based tobacco control policies and support WHO's global efforts to reduce tobacco-related diseases and premature deaths and safeguard the health and well-being of communities across the country.Media contactsWHO Yemen CommunicationsEmail: mediayemen@who.intAbout WHOFounded in 1948, the World Health Organization (WHO) is the United Nations agency dedicated to promoting health, keeping the world safe and serving the vulnerable. WHO leads global efforts to expand universal health coverage, coordinate responses to health emergencies and advance well-being for all.
 

Arabian Jasmine, known locally as Ful, carries both fragrance and memory through the hills and markets of Yemen. First introduced in the 1930s by Prince Ahmed Fadhl Al-Qumandan, who brought the flower from India to the gardens of Lahj, jasmine quickly took root in nearby villages and gradually spread to the coast. Nearly a century later, it remains one of Lahj Governorate’s proudest cultural symbols and a vital source of its livelihood. A daily ritual rooted in traditionLife with Jasmine begins early. Farmers rise before dawn to water and tend to the bushes, knowing the blossoms will only open in the cool morning hours. As the sun crests over the hills, entire families are already at work, carefully picking the delicate white flowers before the heat of the day begins.The freshly harvested jasmine is bundled and carried to the wholesale market in Lahj, where competition is fierce. Garland makers, wedding decorators, and incense vendors jostle to secure the day’s best blooms.“This plant isn’t just a crop,” says local farmer, Bassem. “It is my family’s livelihood. The one who waters benefits, the one who picks benefits… even the one who delivers it to the market benefits.”  Threaded into celebration and identityBeyond the marketplace, jasmine lives at the center of Yemeni celebrations. “For women,” farmer Mohammed explains, “jasmine is essential at weddings and special occasions, whether it’s woven into garlands, used for decoration, or pressed into oil to perfume the skin.”Jasmine is not only for special occasions, though. Its scent clings to garments, lingers in homes, and drifts into the city’s streets, mosques, and marketplaces.  An economic backbone for rural familiesThe jasmine season begins in March and continues for seven months, with production peaking just in time for wedding season. During the high season, a single farmer may sell up to 10 kilograms of flowers a day. The price per kilogram hovers around 2,500 Yemeni rials (approximately US$1.50), but in the winter, scarcity can send that figure soaring to 50,000 rials, nearly $31.Cultivating jasmine is also labor-intensive. Each hectare requires 15 to 20 workers to harvest the blossoms, offering consistent employment across rural villages. In Lahj alone, approximately 200 hectares are dedicated to jasmine. Most farmers tend to three or four hectares each, supporting families, laborers, and entire local economies.  Too much to sell, too little to keepDespite its beauty and cultural importance, jasmine farming comes with challenges. “In the summer, there can be so many blossoms that the market cannot take them all,” says Mohammed. “Much of the harvest goes unsold.”While seasonal oversupply is an issue, farmers also face longer-term environmental pressures. Reduced rainfall and shifting weather patterns have already begun to impact their yields.“Rainfall has decreased in recent years,” explains Jalal, Chairman of the Lahj Jasmine Farmers’ Cooperative Association. “It damages the land and lowers production. Farmers are under growing pressure, and many are struggling to keep up.” A new path: Turning blossoms into oil    Recognizing the cultural and economic importance of jasmine, and the need to preserve both, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Emergency Social Protection Enhancement and COVID-19 Response Project (ESPECRP) – supported by the World Bank’s International Development Association and implemented by UNDP in partnership with local partner the Small and Micro Enterprise Promotion Service (SMEPS) – assisted the cooperative in modernizing production.The project equipped the association with a solar-powered distillation facility, staffed by six employees, which enabled farmers to process surplus blossoms into high-quality jasmine oil. This oil is now in demand among perfume producers within Yemen and abroad.“Perfume factories once imported this oil at a high cost,” says Waddah, a SMEPS project consultant. “Now, it’s available locally and is of such high quality that it has created a new line of income for farmers.”The association also manages the wholesale auction market, employing 15 people to track quantities and facilitate sales.“Today,” says Jalal, “jasmine is found in most of Yemen’s governorates. It’s even being exported to Saudi Arabia and other Gulf countries.”  Nothing goes to wastePreviously, excess blossoms withered away, unsold. Now, they are repurposed. “We take it to the facility, extract oil, and generate extra income that allows us to expand our land,” Mohammed explains.The ripple effects go beyond the farm. Jobs have been created in transporting, sorting, processing, and selling.  A future waiting to bloomJasmine’s future depends not just on rainfall or harvests, but on the collective will to sustain its heritage. With continued support – in the form of climate-resilient farming, better processing, and improved market access – farmers can grow their yields and expand their reach.  “With the support to lower costs and strengthen our association,” says Jalal, “both the cultivated area and production could increase significantly.”If nurtured with care, jasmine will continue to do what it has always done: bloom in the early light, fill the air with promise, and sustain the hands that tend it, one petal at a time.