June 10, 2017: The Cholera epidemic is rising at unprecedented levels in the war-torn country Yemen. The disease has already claimed 791 lives while WHO reports that there still exist an estimated 1,00,000 cases of cholera.
Cholera is an infection caused by indigestion of food and water due to contamination by Vibrio Cholera bacterium. It can kill the individual in a matter of hours if the fluids inside the body are not replaced.
WHO recently stated that children below 15 years of age account for 46% of cholera cases. Most children of Yemen are also malnourished.
The Oxfam charity organization estimates that cholera takes one life every hour in Yemen.
The WHO report also stated that less than half of the medical centers are functional in Yemen. Most do not have access to clean water and the workers have not been paid since months.
Last month a state of emergency was announced by the Houthis who control most parts of Yemen. In addition to cholera, drought and food insecurity have led to the crisis situation in the country. In such conditions, epidemics have thrived on the population.
The epidemic is easily treatable with proper sanitations and healthcare systems but in Yemen's case, these systems are on the verge of collapse.
The Saudi-led bombings have destroyed the important infrastructure of Yemen. VOA
For the past two years Saudi Arabia and its regional allies have carried out bombing campaigns on the Yemenese soil. Yemen has been bullied to misery. Saudi Arabia has put economic sanctions on Yemen in addition to blocking their air and sea ports which have restrained the import of food and medicines. The bombings have destroyed the important infrastructure of Yemen.
The real reason behind Saudi Arabia's bombings is Iran. Iran supports the Houthis in Yemen which the Saudis perceive as a threat. The situation is kind of similar to Lebanon where
The Houthis are controlling certain parts of Yemen while the central government controls the other half with the support of Saudi Arabia and its allies. VOA
Yemen is facing humanitarian crisis and hopes for outside help in order to save its people. The WHO and UNICEF have initiated joint programmes for providing clean water to contain the epidemic and help Yemen, but stability in the region will only come when great powers decide to confront Saudi attacks.
– by Saksham Narula of NewsGram. Twitter: @Saksham2394