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Yemen Can’t Wait: Five Urgent Realities Facing Yemen Today
For over a decade, people in Yemen have endured a devastating conflict that continues to take a heavy toll on its most vulnerable populations. The prolonged crisis has crippled access to healthcare, clean water, and basic necessities, leaving millions without the support they need to survive.
With a fragile economy, overwhelmed public services, and widespread displacement, Yemen remains one of the world’s most urgent humanitarian emergencies demanding immediate and sustained action from the international community and donor nations.
Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) continues to operate in 10 governorates across Yemen, delivering life-saving care. Here are five key facts that paint a picture of both the crisis and MSF’s response.
As of April 2024, nearly 46% of Yemen’s health facilities were partially functioning or out of service. The health system relies on shrinking international aid, increasing pressure on MSF. Due to a lack of routine vaccination, coupled with people’s poor living conditions and a decimated healthcare system, outbreaks of preventable diseases such as diphtheria, meningitis, polio, and measles are resurfacing in Yemen, as we continue to see an increasing number of patients in MSF’s facilities.
In 2024 alone, MSF teams received 285,788 emergency room patients, performed 18,961 surgical interventions, and treated 66,845 suspected cholera cases. While MSF continues to support Yemen’s national health system, the scale of need far exceeds available resources.
Malnutrition is hitting mothers and children hardest: two-thirds of pregnant and breastfeeding women admitted to MSF hospitals were found to be malnourished.
In 2024, 15,778 people were treated for malnutrition in MSF-supported facilities. In peak months, some hospitals reported bed occupancy rates over 250% the highest in six years.
In April 2025, the U.S. terminated all aid to Yemen. The impact is already being felt. Over 520 health facilities and 20 supporting organizations are affected. The impact on primary healthcare services continues to cause preventable deaths and worsening health conditions, particularly among children and mothers, who are unable to access timely or adequate medical care. The U.S. aid termination will end lifesaving food assistance to 2.4 million people and halt nutritional care for 100,000 children, according to WFP.
The U.S. designation of Ansar Allah as a Foreign Terrorist Organization in March 2025 and the sanctions that are expected to follow, will potentially have dire consequences on the most vulnerable people in the country, further limiting their access to food, fuel, and medicine. MSF warns that the sanctions will only exacerbate an untenable situation and increase the suffering of people in Yemen, who are already struggling with extreme poverty, massive food insecurity, and limited access to basic services.
Between March 15 and May 1st , the United States (US) Army with assistance of the United Kingdom (UK) army has conducted around 100 airstrikes in Yemen, targeting AA military sites and civilian infrastructure in the north.
On 5–6 May, Israeli airstrikes hit key civilian infrastructure in Yemen, damaging Hodeidah port, Sana’a airport, power stations, and a cement factory. Hodeidah port, which handles 80% of Yemen’s food imports, and the airport were both severely damaged. The targeting of these vital infrastructure risks affecting the supply of food and essential goods to the Yemeni people.
MSF Filling the Gaps, But Under Strain
With other actors forced to scale back, MSF has seen rising patient numbers and mounting pressure on its teams. While MSF has increased its treatment capacity, the growing gap in funding and services is unsustainable. Needs continue to grow while international attention and resources dwindle.
MSF denounces attacks on critical civilian infrastructure and calls on all parties to the conflict to immediately enable the unhindered import of food, medical supplies, fuel, and other essential goods for the people of Yemen. As MSF continues to provide care across the country, the organization urges donors and humanitarian actors to scale up and sustain their support, particularly in strengthening malnutrition prevention and treatment. MSF also calls on authorities to improve healthcare access, expand outreach programs, and ensure strong vaccination campaigns against preventable diseases that can worsen malnutrition.