Hospital in Yemen’s Taiz warns of collapse in days because of Houthi siege

Key Points:

• The dialysis centre at Republican Hospital in Taiz, Yemen, faces imminent shutdown due to critical shortages of medical supplies and diesel fuel caused by a renewed Houthi siege, threatening the lives of 270 regular dialysis patients and many others in the region.
• The Houthi siege, which began in early October, has blocked essential deliveries including specialised dialysis solutions and fuel needed to power hospital generators, forcing dialysis sessions to be reduced from four hours to two and a half hours, which doctors warn is inadequate.
• The siege has led to severe shortages across 42 health facilities in Taiz, including fuel, oxygen, medicines, and medical supplies, with hospitals suspending some services and warning of a potential total collapse of healthcare if conditions persist.
• Diesel shortages are disrupting critical hospital functions such as oxygen production, water pumping, vaccine refrigeration, and sanitation, increasing risks of disease outbreaks, especially among vulnerable displaced populations.
• Humanitarian organizations, including Amnesty International and the WHO, have called on the Houthis to lift blockades and allow unhindered access to essential goods, emphasizing that the ongoing siege endangers thousands of patients and the overall healthcare system in Taiz.