The Director of Health in Taiz warns of the repercussions of Houthi attacks on health facilities and ambulances.

Health Sector Under Siege in Taiz

Dr. Fahd Al-Nazari, the Director of the Public Health and Population Office in Taiz Governorate, has issued a stark warning regarding the ongoing assaults by Houthi militias, which are backed by the Iranian regime. These attacks target health facilities, medical staff, and ambulances, severely impacting hospitals’ ability to provide essential health services to patients and the injured. This situation worsens due to the continued blockade that prevents the entry of medicines, medical supplies, and fuel.

Damage to Health Facilities

In a statement to the Yemeni News Agency (Saba), Al-Nazari confirmed that five hospitals and health centers have sustained varying degrees of damage due to Houthi shelling and targeting. The affected facilities include Al-Thawra General Hospital, Al-Safwa Hospital, the health center in the Al-Arous area of Jabal Saber, the health center in Al-Wazi’iyah District, and a health center in Al-Mawaset District.

Loss of Ambulances

Al-Nazari explained that other health facilities have also suffered damage from direct and indirect shelling. Efforts to assess and document the extent of the damage are ongoing. He noted that the health sector has lost several ambulances, including 15 vehicles belonging to hospitals and health offices that were seized by the militias. Additionally, medical devices and equipment were looted from hospitals in Al-Mokha and Taiz, further weakening the health facilities’ capacity to respond to emergencies and transport the injured and sick.

Military Use of Health Facilities

Al-Nazari accused the Houthi militias of repurposing some health facilities for military purposes, transforming them into gathering sites for their personnel and command centers for operations. This militarization has disrupted health services and denied citizens access to medical care, especially in areas experiencing clashes or under militia control.

Targeting Medical Personnel

Al-Nazari highlighted the grave danger posed by Houthi snipers targeting medical staff and ambulances during rescue attempts. He cited a specific incident where a man and his daughter were shot by Houthi snipers inside their home in the Al-Shaqab area of Saber Al-Mawadem District. The attack on rescuers and the ambulance hindered efforts to reach them and recover their bodies.

Call for Protection of the Health Sector

Al-Nazari emphasized that repeated attacks on medical personnel obstruct the evacuation of the dead and injured from affected areas, violating humanitarian principles and international laws that protect medical workers and transportation during armed conflicts.

He reiterated the urgent need to address the ongoing targeting of health facilities and medical staff, as well as the blockade preventing the entry of medicines, medical supplies, and fuel. This situation exacerbates the suffering of citizens and undermines the health sector’s ability to meet increasing demands. He warned of the severe consequences of the blockade on thousands of patients, particularly those suffering from diabetes, kidney failure, cancer, and chronic diseases.

Al-Nazari called for the immediate delivery of medical supplies and fuel, ensuring the protection of hospitals, health centers, ambulances, and health workers, allowing them to perform their humanitarian duties without obstacles or targeting.

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