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ABSTRACT
Yemen is in the midst of a longstanding civil war and the economy has been seriously damaged, especially after the revolution during the Arab Spring in 2011. Importantly, the endless conflict has triggered a humanitarian disaster, leaving 70% of the population in need of aid. Among other concerns in this rough time is Yemenis' access to health care services. The health care system is collapsing which poses a serious threat to the health and wellness of the entire population.
The conflict has taken a bloody toll on the country's civilians and ravaged its health system. The destruction of civilian infrastructure and restrictions on food and fuel imports have also pushed Yemen to the brink of famine and malnutrition. According to the United Nations Office of Humanitarian Affairs, out of Yemen's population of almost 28 million, over 60% of the population, 17 million people, are considered to be food insecure and another 6.8 million (roughly 24% of the population) severely food insecure.
The World Food Programme has classified seven of Yemen's 22 provinces as being at "emergency" level - one step above "famine." Only 45% of the 3,500 health facilities surveyed by the WHO in November were fully functioning. Over the past four months, Yemen has been ravaged by a cholera outbreak that the UN has branded as the worst in history. More than 500,000 Yemenis have been infected with cholera this year, and nearly 2,000 have died, according to the World Health Organization.
In this chapter, we aim to review the interplay between the health care challenges and the remnants of the weakened health care system in the country. Also, we'll critically analyze the challenges posed by the health care crises and its implication on the future of Yemen's healthcare system and the different social classes of its population.
Based on our literature review, we have outlined ten aspects to be covered in the chapter: 1. Historical context of health system development, 2. Health system and facilities, 3. Drugs and pharmaceutical issues, 4. Infectious diseases, 5. Noncommunicable diseases, 6. Women and children, 7. Impact of political instability in health, 8. Malnutrition crisis, 9. Health workforce, and 10. Social determinants of healthcare. Finally, a strong effort had been put on recommendations and selected responses...