World Health Organization Reports Increase in Fever Cases in Yemen

Introduction

A recent World Health Organization report recorded about 24,000 cases of various types of fever in Yemen during the first quarter of this year.

According to a report from the World Health Organization, 23,850 cases of fever and viruses were tracked in the first quarter of this year, linked to ineffective vaccination campaigns.

Spread of Cases

Reported cases have been spread across 13,000 cases of measles, 8,870 cases of dengue, and 2,080 suspected cases of cholera, according to the organization, and the real numbers are likely much higher.

She attributed the rise in cases of fever and viral illness in Yemen to “the cessation of periodic vaccination campaigns,” a decision taken by the Houthis in the aftermath of the coronavirus pandemic.

Houthi Faction and Vaccinations

The Houthi faction, which controls the health sector in the governorates it controls, is waging a massive campaign of incitement against immunizations and vaccinations against many diseases, including polio, measles, tetanus and diphtheria.

The repercussions of the incitement campaigns have recently been strongly manifested in the increase in the number of people with serious diseases that affect children as a result of not getting the necessary vaccinations.

Since the beginning of 2023, 77 children have died from measles in Yemen, and the number of children infected with the disease has exceeded 9,000, according to a report by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in Yemen.

The World Health Organization has confirmed that “more than 80% of children with measles have not received a vaccine against the disease,” adding: “In Yemen, vaccination programs are needed to protect children from preventable diseases.”