Yemen’s health minister calls for regional support in face of COVID-19 pandemic

A girl wears a protective face mask amid fears of the spread of coronavirus in Sanaa. (File photo: Reuters)

• Yemen needs more support and help to be able to provide its services to the people, the minister said

RIYADH: Yemen’s Health minister, Qasem Buaibeh, called on Arab nations to support his war-torn country and its weakened healthcare infrastructure amid deadly epidemics, including COVID-19.  
Yemen needs more support and help to be able to provide its services to the people, Buhaibeh said on Monday during a virtual meeting of Arab Health Ministers, according to state news agency Saba. 
The health minister informed his counterparts on current epidemic challenges in Yemen and measures taken by the ministry to face a second wave of the coronavirus pandemic, stressing the need for logistic support from regional states. 
Yemen’s medical infrastructure has been shattered by an on-going conflict that was sparked by the 2011 Arab spring. Unrest and instability led to the Houthi militia’s ousting of the government from the capital Sanaa in late 2014. A military coalition led by Saudi Arabia then intervened to try to restore the government to power, leading to the current on-going war.