An Urgent Call for Solidarity with the People of Yemen Facing the COVID 19 Crisis
Yemen’s health sector’s worst-case scenario has unfortunately materialized. Based on WHO modeling, COVID 19 could kill at least 42,000 people and see the majority of the country’s 30 million infected[1].
According to sources, the Trump administration’s announcement of $500,000 in COVID19 aid for Yemen this month will only account for less than 1% of the estimated $1.3 billion needed to address the pandemic[2].
A group of Yemeni-American charities, Yemeni-physicians (the diaspora), community leaders and the Embassy of Yemen to the USA recently met online with Yemen health sector representatives from all parts of Yemen (Aden, Sana’a, Marib, Taiz, and Al Baideh governorates) and brainstormed on the best approach to mobilizing an effective emergency response to the COVID 19 crisis in Yemen. These health representatives have compiled a list of critical COVID 19 equipment, supplies and accessories, under three basic categories as follows:
- PPE (personal protection equipment)
- PCR (polymerase chain reaction) for testing
- Ventilators
According to U.N. officials, with a population of 30 million, 55 percent of Yemen’s population (or 16 million) could contract the Coronavirus with an estimated 300,000 in need for hospitalization and 35,000 needing ventilators. Compared with the current stock of 500 available ICUs and 200 ventilators in the entire country, Yemen’s health sector is clearly already overwhelmed and can easily collapse in the next few days!
The organizations issuing this call are launching this campaign with contributions from their own existing funds, given the time-critical nature of this crisis, where a day’s delay can easily translate into hundreds, if not thousands of lives lost in Yemen.
These organizations, spearheaded by Pure Hands, and in collaboration with the Embassy of Yemen in the U.S.A, and under the slogan, ‘In This Together’ Initiative, include:
- Rahma Worldwide (Aid and Development)
- United Mission Relief
- The International Council for Relief,
- Generous Hands Charitable (Organization),
- Yemeni Physicians in Diaspora
We are appealing to our partner, philanthropic and private sector organizations in the U.S. to assist us in launching this COVID 19 Yemen Emergency Fundraising Campaign to meet Yemen’s health sector’s minimum requirements to save lives, deliver critical services and protect health service providers from infection (and death).
Participating organizations can also have their contributions distributed under their respective organizational logos and in pre-agreed to localities or governorates in Yemen. Plans have also been made with various international organizations, including MSF (Doctors Without Borders) and relevant U.N. humanitarian agencies to ensure purchased supplies and equipment are transported to Yemen in the most expeditious manner, despite current international flights and transportation restrictions.
Please join this urgent humanitarian campaign and express your organization’s solidarity with this critical life-saving effort by participating in our virtual campaign (zoom) meeting has been postponed to Thursday, June 04, at 2:00 pm (EST), where each organization contribution will be announced.
Join Zoom Meeting by clicking the link below:
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Meeting ID: 846 1879 6048
Password: 227774
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Thank you very much for your generous support
For any further information, please contact us at: [email protected]
Regards
On Behalf of the ‘In This Together Organizations
[1] https://www.thenewhumanitarian.org/news/2020/05/07/coronavirus-health-yemen-unpaid-world-health-organisation-cuts
[2] https://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2020/05/yemen-advocates-covid19-aid-relief-bill-white-house-houthis.html