After nearly a decade of conflict, the economic crisis and absence of livelihood opportunities have exacerbated the food insecurity in Yemen. Malnutrition remains a major health concern, with seasonal and annual peaks felt especially in rural areas.
In MSF-supported Abs general hospital (Hajjah governorate), we are witnessing in the maternity department a high number of malnourished mothers, making up more than sixty per cent of all admissions. Mothers bringing their children to the inpatient therapeutic feeding centers have malnutrition themselves. In MSF-supported Al-Qanawis mother and child hospital (Al-Hudaydah governorate), the situation is similar where nearly half the mothers admitted to the maternity department are malnourished.
Our data shows that the percentage of malnourished women out of all admissions in the maternity departments has been increasing steadily for the past two years. Diminishing food aid distributions, including the suspension of the World Food Programme (WFP)’s General Food Distributions in northern Yemen, have exacerbated an already dire situation.