UNICEF Airlifts Lifesaving Supplies to Yemen to Combat Cholera as Cases Surpass 200,000

SANA’A, 28 June 2017 –Three UNICEF charter planes have delivered 36 tons of lifesaving medical and water purification supplies to Yemen to scale up efforts to combat the world’s worst cholera outbreak.

The supplies included, 750,000 sachets of Oral Rehydration Salt (ORS) enough to treat 10,000 people,   10.5 million water purification tablets and other sanitation items.

“We are in a race against time. Our teams are working with partners not only to provide treatment to the sick and raise awareness among communities, but also to rapidly replenish and distribute supplies and medicines ”, said Dr Sherin Varkey, UNICEF Deputy Representative in Yemen. “More airlifts of critical supplies will continue in the coming days”.

In just two months, cholera has spread to almost every governorate of Yemen. Already more than 1,300 people have died – one quarter of them children. Civil servants, including doctors, nurses, water engineers and rubbish collectors have not been paid for nearly 10 months.

Since the outbreak was reported on 27 April, UNICEF has distributed over 600,000 ORS sachets and 20,000 Intravenous (IV) fluids to oral rehydration points and at homes. With partners, UNICEF has supported the establishment of 488 oral rehydration therapy points and more than 20 Diarrhoea Treatment Centres across the country.

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UNICEF promotes the rights and wellbeing of every child, in everything we do. Together with our partners, we work in 190 countries and territories to translate that commitment into practical action, focusing special effort on reaching the most vulnerable and excluded children, to the benefit of all children, everywhere.

For more information about UNICEF and its work for children in Yemen, visit: http://uni.cf/yemencrisis

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For more information, please contact:

Christopher Tidey, UNICEF New York, +1 917 340 3017, [email protected]
Bismarck Swangin, UNICEF Yemen, [email protected] - Tel: +967 712 223 161 (English)
Mohammed Al-Asaadi, UNICEF Yemen, [email protected] Tel: +967 711760002 (Arabic)
Juliette Touma, UNICEF MENA Regional Office, +962 798 674 628, [email protected]