Dr. Mohammed Al Falahi, Secretary-General of Emirates Red Crescent, ERC, has announced that the UAE is sending medicines and health accessories to Yemen in collaboration with World Health Organisation, WHO, to help control a cholera epidemic, currently spreading in the country.

Addressing a press conference Thursday at the headquarters of the ERC in Abu Dhabi, Dr. Al Falahi said that the UAE key aid provider had already sent 100,000 liters of intravenous fluids (56 tonnes) aimed at fighting cholera in Yemen. This is the entire quantity of intravenous fluid solutions that were available in the entire UAE local market and it was sent in addition to 150,000 packets of oral rehydration salts.

The ERC chief said that the UAE aid to fight cholera would cover all provinces of Yemen, including those under the control of the Houthi militias. "The UAE has responded quickly to the requirements of the World Health Organisation to contain the outbreak of cholera since its onset in September last year. We have also supplied chlorine for sterilising the water. Our particular focus has been on pregnant women and children, who are the worst victims of the disease," he explained.

Dr. Al Falahi pointed out that more than 300,000 people benefitted so far from the steps taken to fight the epidemic. "This is in addition to strengthening the relief air bridge aimed at dealing with the scarcity in food. The United Nations has recently warned that seven million Yemenis face the threat of famine and that the food crisis in the country is the worst in the world," he said.

The ERC Secretary-General explained that the efforts of the UAE to contain epidemic diseases included several regions of the world and that the country consistently supported WHO and other health organisations. "Humanitarian aid remains our priority in Yemen in line with the UAE’s noble objectives and its commitment to stand by the brotherly people of the country in their hour of need," he added.

"The UAE’s support for Yemen’s health sector is not confined to fighting cholera, but also included large quantity of other medicines and health supplies. Between 2015 and this year, the UAE aid to Yemen for health services reached AED502 million (US$137 million), besides its contributions to fighting communicable diseases, providing basic health care and training health workers in the country," he concluded.