Sana’a, 28 November 2018 – United Nations Population Fund delivered life-saving reproductive health equipment and medicines to Hodeida city, leading to the opening an expanded maternity wing in Al Thawra Hospital; the only referral hospital in Hodeida.

Al-Thawra Hospital which serves as a major maternal and neonatal care facility with up to 500 deliveries a month, including more than 200 caesarean sections, has been directly impacted by the on-going fighting in recent weeks. UNFPA has supported the hospital to ensure uninterrupted provision of maternal health services with the establishment of a 300 square meter maternity ward, which includes a fully equipped operating theatre, infant incubators and other essential life-saving equipment and medicines. In addition, more than 40 staff in the maternity and neonatology sections of the hospital are being supported by UNFPA through incentives and operational support to ensure the continuity of these services.

“Al Thawra Hospital is a lifeline for women who may face complications during pregnancy and childbirth in Hodeida and surrounding governorates. We will continue to do our best to ensure maternal health services are provided to women and girls who need it the most, but our support wouldn’t be impactful without the heroic efforts of the health workers who risk their own lives to save other,” said Anjali Sen, UNFPA Representative in Yemen.

UNFPA supports 34 health facilities in Hodeida alone and 214 health facilities across Yemen, to provide essential reproductive health services to women and girls.

These interventions are supported by contributions from the European Union Humanitarian Aid, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates and the Yemen Humanitarian Pooled Fund.

UNFPA, through the 2018 Yemen Humanitarian Response Plan, is appealing for $44.5 million for reproductive health and protection services for women and girls affected by the on-going crisis. Only $27 million has so far been mobilised and face discontinuation of these critical services from January 2019, if more resources do not become available.

For more information, please contact Fahmia Al-Fotih: Tel: +967 712224016; al-fotih@unfpa.org Lankani Sikurajapathy: Tel. +94773411614; sikurajapathy@unfpa.org