Ministry of Health sounds alarm due to fuel shortage

SANA'A - The Yemeni Ministry of Public Health and Population has sounded the alarm about the shortage of oil derivatives in the health sector, which portends a humanitarian catastrophe as a result of the continued siege by the coalition countries. 

The Saudi-led coalition prevents tankers loaded with diesel and petroleum from reaching Hodeidah port to provide hospitals and other governmental and private health facilities with their requirements and needs.

The Ministry of Health denounced in a statement on Friday the violations committed by the coalition countries in preventing ships from entering Yemen, even though the vessels were inspected and authorized by the United Nations prior.

The statement stressed that the health sector entirely depends on oil derivatives to provide all medical, diagnostic and therapeutic devices with electric power, as well as for the movement of ambulances and the emergency transport of doctors, paramedics and health workers.

In its statement, the Ministry of Health blamed the coalition countries and their regimes for the deaths that occur every day due to the deterioration of the health situation as a result of their aggression and blockade.

The Ministry sent an urgent distress call to the international community, the UN and international organisations to move quickly and pressure the coalition countries to lift the ban on these and other ships, especially as they are all subject to UN inspection and there is no justification for these hostile actions.