The people of Yemen, young, and old, are suffering catastrophic consequences because of the country’s two year conflict, and nowhere is that more visible than in the health care system.

The United Nations describes Yemen as the world’s single largest humanitarian crisis: almost 19 million of Yemen’s 24.4 million people need humanitarian assistance.

Almost half a million children are suffering severe malnutrition, famine across the country is now a real danger. Tens of thousands have been killed and injured. Boys like 12 year old Mohammad Qasam, who is being treated for serious head injuries in Al Jamhori hospital in Sanaa, are being denied every aspect of childhood.

“While I was playing, our house was hit in an air raid,” says Mohammad. “My brother and I were injured. The house fell on me. They took me to the hospital. I was unconscious. I didn’t know where I was.”

The hospital is supported by the International Committee of the Red Cross, but still faces major shortages of medicines, staff, and equipment. What medicines the hospital does have are given freely to those in need, but often, life saving drugs are only available, at a price, on the private market. Some patients, like 20 year old Mukhtar Ismail, whose back was broken in an airstrike, face going without vital treatment.

“I have nothing,” says Mukhtar. “I cannot cover the costs of the medicine. Before being injured, I used to work, walk and do everything. Now I cannot move or even stand up. I cannot breathe.”

Many hospitals in Yemen have been damaged or destroyed in the conflict, those that can still function are overwhelmed with patients, and, pharmacist Arwa Ahmed explains, the shortages affect not just the war wounded.

“Because of the war in Yemen, we lack medicines for chronic diseases like high blood pressure, or diabetes, especially here in public hospitals,” she says.

“And we have power cuts,” Arwa continues. “So some medicines that need to be kept cold {refrigerated} go bad and we have to throw them away.”

The pressure on Yemen’s remaining hospitals, the difficulty of reaching them because of the conflict, and the shortage of medicines, mean people with chronic illnesses, like farmer Ali Qaid, find it almost impossible to get the vital treatment they need. Ali has travelled over 200 kilometres to Al Thawra hospital in Hodeidah because he needs dialysis.

“I have children,” he says. “But no one supports us. I have been suffering from kidney failure for six years.”

“I have not been able to work since then. You cannot work with kidney failure.”

Many of Yemen’s health professionals have fled the conflict, those who remain, like surgeon Nabil Qasim al-Haj in Al Jamhori hospital, are struggling to cope with an influx of war wounded. Critical injuries, including burns, and major head injuries are often sent to Al Jamhori.

“We are facing huge pressures”, says Mr Qasim. “In addition to our usual patients, we are receiving very difficult surgical cases, patients with complex conflict related injuries.”

Yemen’s health service is trapped in a vicious circle of conflict, lack of medicines and equipment, poverty, and overwhelming patient need. But despite all this, many dedicated medical staff, like nurse Ibstisam Ali, stay and persevere, her only reward, helping her patients.

“Another challenge is that we do not receive our salaries” she says. “However, we are trying to face and overcome such challenges. We do our jobs for the sake of humanitarian work and alleviating the suffering of the patients.”

But for patients like 20 year old Mukhtar Ismail, the only real way to end the suffering is to end the conflict. The violence in Yemen has scarred him mentally as well as physically.

“There is no security in Yemen now. You can’t move, you can’t even leave your house,” he says.

“If you do leave your house, you might be killed in an air raid, or shelled. If you go to the shop to buy something, a bomb might kill you. Your family won’t see you again. Or they will find your dead body, or they will collect your pieces into bags.”

“I am praying for God to put an end to the war in Yemen,” Mukhtar continues. “And for the recovery of all Yemenis, including me.”

Meanwhile twelve year old Mohammad Qasam has his own dreams for the future.

“I wish that I will recover soon and that all the injured will recover soon as well,” he says.

“I wish for peace in Yemen so that I can go back to school again. “

Mohammad’s hopes are modest, health and education are the rights of every child. But peace may still be a long way off in Yemen. As the international community gathers for this week’s pledging conference, the very least the world can do for patients like Mohammad and Mukhtar, is to support the medical care they so desperately need.

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