Medical aid workers break siege of Yemen's Taiz
Medical aid workers break siege of Yemen's Taiz
Essential medical supplies have been delivered by the WHO to the besieged city of Taiz in southern Yemen.
2 min read
The World Health Organisation has confirmed the delivery of essential medical aid to Yemen's besieged Taiz city.
Medical aid workers had previously been prevented from reaching the city by Houthi fighters, who took control of an unstable Yemen in 2014, and have laid siege to several town, blocking humanitarian access and basic food supplies for several months.
However, an official WHO statement assured the organisation had "successfully delivered more than 20 tonnes of life-saving medicines and medical supplies".
"These medical supplies are critical to meet the most urgent needs in a city where more than 200,000 people continue to live under siege with limited access to humanitarian aid," it added.
Houthi fighters had allegedly been blocking the delivery for eight weeks.
"Hospital staff in Taiz City are desperate for medicines and medical supplies so that they can continue to offer the most basic medical care," said Ahmed Shadoul, WHO's Yemen representative.
"The delivery of these WHO supplies is a huge step that we are hoping will pave the way for the provision of more medical support to the city," he added.
Taiz, approximately 100 miles north-west of Aden, also received two batches of humanitarian aid earlier this year.
Essential medical supplies used to treat injured civilians and local resistance fighters amid Houthi clashes were delivered by Doctors Without Borders earlier last month.
Prior to that, a 40-tonne Saudi coalition shipment was also dropped on the besieged city.
UN figures suggest that more than 6,100 people have died in Yemen since the start of the Saudi-led coalition war against the rebels.
Medical aid workers had previously been prevented from reaching the city by Houthi fighters, who took control of an unstable Yemen in 2014, and have laid siege to several town, blocking humanitarian access and basic food supplies for several months.
However, an official WHO statement assured the organisation had "successfully delivered more than 20 tonnes of life-saving medicines and medical supplies".
"These medical supplies are critical to meet the most urgent needs in a city where more than 200,000 people continue to live under siege with limited access to humanitarian aid," it added.
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Houthi fighters had allegedly been blocking the delivery for eight weeks.
"Hospital staff in Taiz City are desperate for medicines and medical supplies so that they can continue to offer the most basic medical care," said Ahmed Shadoul, WHO's Yemen representative.
"The delivery of these WHO supplies is a huge step that we are hoping will pave the way for the provision of more medical support to the city," he added.
Taiz, approximately 100 miles north-west of Aden, also received two batches of humanitarian aid earlier this year.
Essential medical supplies used to treat injured civilians and local resistance fighters amid Houthi clashes were delivered by Doctors Without Borders earlier last month.
Prior to that, a 40-tonne Saudi coalition shipment was also dropped on the besieged city.
UN figures suggest that more than 6,100 people have died in Yemen since the start of the Saudi-led coalition war against the rebels.
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