Received: June 16th, 2015
Dear Dr. Abdulnasser,
I fully sympathize with you and colleagues there while admiring your braveness, dedication and commitment to support Aden people.
Kindly note that WHO sent an expert Dr Peter Mala (in cc) but unfortunately he wouldn’t be able to reach Aden. WHO is very keen to support and provide guidance and supplies. Kindly contact:
· Dr Mohamed Kolaise in Aden
· Dr Peter Mala in Sana’a
· Dr Ahmed Kaid in Sana’a
· Dr Mohamed Al emad in Sana’a
All are in copy of this email. I would suggest that you initiate a teleconference and whatever agreed upon, WHO will be ready to support.
Best regards
Ahmed Shadoul
WHO representative
Sent: June 16th, 2015
Humanitarian agencies operating in Yemen,
We have just received this report (see below) on June 16th 2015, from Dr. Abdulnasser Alwali, Chairman of the Higher Medical Public Committee-Aden (HMPCA):
"There is a sign of a lethal disease outbreak in the governorate of Aden, which has been more pronounced in the Crater district. Symptoms have been severe fever followed by death in 24 hours. Is it malaria? Some cases are positive. Is it Dengue fever? Some are also positive. Is it Ebola or Coronavirus? We have no labs, equipments, or the means to make such diagnosis. Unfortunately, there currently is no international agency to help in this matter and residents in Aden are panicking. Today, we lost one of our colleague in Crater, Dr. Ahmed Jamil–and his colleague who was treating him is now has acute fever (most likely he is infected as well). Therefore, our physicians as well as residents have fled the Crater district.The health situation in Aden is disastrous. The hospitals have become congested with patients who present with acute fever of unknown etiology on top of those who are dying from Dengue fever and typhoid. There is simply no beds available to admit any patients suffering from infectious diseases or causalities secondary to the ongoing conflict.No foreign physicians have arrived to help us in Aden and the relief we receive has been both intermittent and limited. There is no mobile clinics or teams from international relief agencies to effectively evaluate and assist in combatting the current endemic infectious diseases which plaques Aden province.Today, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) announced that they will terminate their contract with Yemeni physicians in Aden, which saddens us because they have been helping us tremendously. At this critical time, we need more help and not less. There is limited food, no electricity, no water, and we have no financial means or incentives to offer our health workers. Banks in Aden remain shut down and all transactions occur only in #Sana’a (which offer none to Aden).During this last month, we have been prevented from conducting medical evacuations for the wounded and sick who need treatment outside of Yemen. As such, we remain under siege and all agencies remain in Sana’a even though Aden was announced as a temporary capital (the ministries and foreign embassies have relocated to Aden).The relief agencies from the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) provide their best efforts in alleviating the health crisis here, but they face many obstacles in the process. We did receive a formal recognition letter by President Hadi for our work and continuous efforts in alleviating the health crisis Aden, Lahj, Abyan, and Al Dhale’e governorates.The health crisis here is is out of control and the medical community have been screaming for the world to help. The Arab world is watching while the Western World does not even bother to watch.Dr. Abdulnasser AlwaliChairman of the Higher Medical Public Committee-Aden+967733791544
Lastly, we do want to mention that the ports in Al Buraiqeh district remain controlled by Pro-Hadi forces and remains a viable route for reaching (more timely and effectively) the beneficiaries in the southern governorates (e.n. Aden, Lahj, Al Dhale’e, Abyan) in Yemen. Otherwise, they remain under siege and will continue to be isolated from the humanitarian relief efforts in Yemen–“Structural Violence”.
Thank you for your time.
Yours Respectfully,
Omran Alsalahi
This letter was sent to the following agencies operating in Yemen:
- IOM
- ICRC
- WHO
- UNOCHA
- IFRC
- IMC
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