Yemen Pharmaceutical Aid Delivery, Famine Relief & Secondary Healthcare

Campaign Details

The Crisis in Yemen

Since the start of this bloody and violent conflict, a third of bombing targets have been civilian (hospitals, schools, community centers, religious centers etc), while instability and a breakdown in infrastructure have led to widespread cholera outbreaks and devastating famine. Over 22 million civilians are in desperate need of humanitarian assistance, but with air strikes frequent and violence distributed across the country, access and procurement lines have been severely restricted. Air access has been all but blocked, leaving humanitarian agencies to rely on limited maritime transfers and over-land access through Oman, far from the front lines of the crisis.

Almost 14,000 people had already died in the conflict at the end of 2017, according to the annual UN Report; over 5,100 of these were civilians, including over 1,100 children. With over half a million suspected cholera cases and almost all health-facilities non-functional, over 14.8 million people lack access to basic healthcare and clean water, while 7.3 million are on the brink of famine and 3 million are forcibly displaced. MOAS aims to support primary healthcare providers and deal head-on with issues surrounding access by delivering pharmaceuticals, while supporting the health cluster by also bringing in medical specialists to conduct secondary healthcare services, which are almost non-existent currently.

Proposed Intervention

 As access to Yemen becomes increasingly challenging, many Aid Agencies have abandoned air access in favor of overland access through Oman or maritime access through Djibouti. This has put a significant strain on aid procurement lines and access to humanitarian assistance for those in the North-Western provinces most affected by the crisis. MOAS intends to stock its 40-meter vessel, Phoenix, with essential pharmaceuticals, medical equipment and specially formulated nutrition supplements, as requested by the providers of primary medical care currently operating within the health cluster. These medications and famine relief supplements will then be transported to Aden using established and protected maritime routes, before being distributed to the cluster for use throughout the humanitarian medical response.

The Phoenix will then dock in Aden for approximately 40 days, during which time it will act as a secondary healthcare provider. In accordance with needs assessments and guidance from the health cluster, MOAS will focus on emergency dental and ophthalmology treatment. Referrals will be taken from Health Cluster partners and treatment will be given in-situ on the Phoenix, using the fully equipped clinics on board. MOAS will reach thousands in desperate need with our mission and provide agencies on the ground with vital support.

For more information or to contact the team please email info@moas.eu