Sana’a, 1 August 2018 – UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund is extremely concerned of the escalating situation in Hodeidah, placing women and girls of childbearing age at extreme risk, in particular an estimated 90,000 women inside Hodeidah, who would give birth within the next nine months.
UNFPA estimates that among those affected are 750,000 women and girls of childbearing age with nearly 14,000 pregnant women risking complications with immediate danger to their lives if they do not receive urgent life-saving maternal care and medicines. Yemen has one of the highest maternal mortality ratios in the region, estimated at 385 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births in 2015. Today, the maternal deaths ratio is likely to have doubled.
“Damage to health facilities, in particular reproductive health facilities resulting from the on-going fighting could paralyse the delivery of reproductive health services and supplies.” said Dr. Luay Shabaneh, UNFPA Director for the Arab Region. “It is becoming increasingly difficult to reach pregnant women or those who want to avoid getting pregnant with the reproductive health services and medicines they require. This could mean grave consequences to their health and their children.” added Dr. Shabaneh
UNFPA is among the humanitarian agencies leading the rapid response mechanism in Hodeidah. UNFPA has scaled up its efforts across service delivery points in Hodeidah, Aden, Ibb and Sana’a, including increased support to health facilities providing life-saving reproductive health services and medicines. In addition, midwives and gynaecologists across five districts in Hodeidah are being supported to assist emergency deliveries and c-sections. UNFPA also has teams at service delivery points to address the protection needs of women and girls.
UNFPA calls on all parties to the conflict to halt the fighting in Hodeidah, protect civilians, ensure they have the assistance they need to survive, and to allow humanitarian access as stipulated by international humanitarian law.
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For more information, please contact
Fahmia Al-Fotih: Tel: +967 712224016, email: al-fotih@unfpa.org
Lankani Sikurajapathy: Tel: +94773411614, email: sikurajapathy@unfpa.org
