Taiz Emergency Committee Warns of Worsening Humanitarian Situation
The Emergency Committee in Taiz governorate has warned of the worsening humanitarian, health, and service conditions in the city due to the ongoing war and the siege imposed by the Houthis. It stressed that road closures and preventing the entry of oil derivatives and gas have exacerbated the suffering of hundreds of thousands of residents and paralyzed vital sectors.
During a press conference, the governorate's Undersecretary for Services, Rashad Al-Ak'hali, reviewed the repercussions of the road closures. He noted that the closure of the main road—after the Aden-Al-Turbah-Taiz road was the only lifeline supplying the city with food and consumer goods—has intensified the siege and cut off its lifelines.
For his part, the Director-General of the Public Health and Population Office, Fahd Al-Nadhari, revealed a sharp decline in health services and a shortage of fuel, medicines, and medical supplies. This coincided with the suspension of cleaning services and the accumulation of waste, which has led to the spread of diseases and epidemics.
He explained that health indicators up to October 29th showed a 53.5% decrease in the number of visiting patients and a more than 51% decline in births. In contrast, deaths in the besieged areas increased by 38.9%, while child mortality recorded a 450% rise, alongside a 16% increase in cases of acute malnutrition.
In the energy sector, the director of the Gas Company office, Bilal Al-Qumairi, confirmed the cutoff of gas supplies to the city due to the blockade, which has led to a growing black market. Meanwhile, the director of the Oil Company branch, Ali Al-Aj'ar, explained that the governorate's monthly need is about 6.5 million liters of oil derivatives, noting that the allocated quantities cannot reach the city due to road closures and transportation risks.
The Emergency Committee called on the United Nations and international organizations to intervene urgently, fulfill their humanitarian responsibilities, and pressure for the lifting of the siege and the end of the war. It warned that the continued deterioration of the situation threatens the lives of hundreds of thousands of civilians in the city of Taiz.
Source: Almahriah Net
