Humanitarian situation in Yemen worsens: UN agencies

UN agencies reported on Friday that 80 percent of Yemen's population, representing some 21 million people, is in need of some form of humanitarian assistance as warring factions continue to attend UN-brokered consultations here in the hope of ceasing hostilities.

The World Food Programme (WFP) revealed that food security is of particular concern in Yemen as over six million people are thought to be severely food insecure, compared to 4.3 million in late 2014.

"Out of the 22 governorates, 10 are classified as facing food insecurity at the emergency level," Xinhua news agency quoted a WFP spokesperson as saying, meaning that people were in urgent need of nutritional assistance.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) also highlighted some of the main health challenges affecting Yemen's population as violence continues to rage in the war-torn country.

"At least 53 health facilities have been damaged, including 17 hospitals," said a WHO spokesman, adding that over 15 million people are in dire need of health services while a critical lack of medicines and essential supplies further compounds the country's worsening health prospects.

WHO indicated that between 1.8 and 2.5 million children are at risk of diarrhoeal diseases, and that as many as 1.3 million children are in danger of contracting acute respiratory infections.

Regarding the endemic lack of food, the health agency also confirmed that there has been a 150 percent increase of hospital admissions linked to cases of malnutrition since March.

As the first week of Yemen consultations comes to an end, UN Information Service Director Ahmad Fawzi indicated that "the special envoy for Yemen, Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed, continues to shuttle between the two delegations both in the Palais des Nations and their hotels", adding that Ahmed was with the Sanaa delegation until the early hours of Friday morning.

He said the special envoy was working very hard to persuade both sides to come to some kind of agreement on the question of the cessation of hostilities before delegations leave Geneva this weekend.