Yemen - Emergency Health and Nutrition Assistance - ADRA Canada 2018-2019

May 2018 - Yemen is currently the world’s largest humanitarian crisis according to the United Nations with 22.2 million people in need of humanitarian assistance including 11.3 million that require immediate life-saving assistance. Sixty percent of the population (17.8 million people) is food insecure with 8.4 million people on the brink of famine. Malnutrition has soared by over 65% in 2017 and an estimated 400 000 children under five years of age are suffering from severe acute malnutrition. More than 3 million people have been displaced and basic service provision is collapsing. Yemen is currently facing a diphtheria outbreak with over 1 500 suspected cases and could face another wave of cholera with the beginning of its rainy season in April. In 2017 it was afflicted by one of the largest cholera outbreaks ever recorded with over 1 million suspected cases and 2 200 deaths reported. Many health facilities have been destroyed or have stopped functioning. Humanitarian access remains a significant challenge. With GAC’s multi-year support the Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) Canada is providing emergency health and nutrition support to up to 213 800 of the most vulnerable conflict-affected people particularly women in the Marib governorate of Yemen. Project activities include: (1) providing health facilities with essential medication and medical supplies; (2) providing sexual and reproductive health services including emergency obstetric and newborn care; (3) providing medical services and psychosocial support to survivors of sexual and gender-based violence; and (4) screening and providing treatment for acute malnutrition particularly among children and pregnant and lactating women.

The expected outcomes for this project include: (1) improved utilization of essential health services by internally displaced persons and host communities especially women and children; and (2) reduced prevalence of acute malnutrition in children under five and pregnant and lactating women. The expected ultimate outcome is lives saved suffering alleviated and human dignity maintained in countries experiencing humanitarian crisis or that are facing acute food insecurity.