Yemen health minister warns system may collapse as funding reaches 17% of need

September 27, 2026 at 07:07 PM2 min

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Yemen's health system may collapse in some areas as war strains resources and funding reaches only 17 percent of required amount, Minister of Public Health and Population Qasim Buhaibeh told Al Jazeera. He warned that emergency services, maternal and child healthcare, vaccination, nutrition, dialysis and cancer treatment are all threatened by the decline in funding. The warning comes as nearly 130,000 people have been displaced since fighting escalated in early September.

Key Facts

Health data updated through June 2026 shows 19.3 million people in Yemen require health assistance.
Funding for the health response has reached only 17 percent of the required amount.
The proportion of health facilities operating at full capacity has likely dropped to less than 50 percent, down from 60 percent cited by the World Health Organization.
More than 27,000 confirmed measles cases were recorded in 2025, and around half of Yemen's children under five suffer from chronic malnutrition.
The International Organization for Migration found nearly 130,000 people, or 30,000 households, displaced across seven governorates since fighting escalated in early September.

Funding Shortfall

Minister Qasim Buhaibeh said the health sector may not be able to absorb additional waves of displacement from the ongoing war. A lack of resources has forced the closure of health facilities and caused shortages of medicines, supplies and fuel. Health data updated through June 2026 indicates that 19.3 million people in Yemen require health assistance. Funding for the response has reached only 17 percent of the required amount. The proportion of health facilities operating at full capacity has likely dropped to less than 50 percent, compared with 60 percent cited by the World Health Organization.

Disease Outbreaks and Malnutrition

Buhaibeh warned that displacement, malnutrition and low vaccination coverage are coinciding with outbreaks of cholera, measles and polio. More than 27,000 confirmed measles cases were recorded in 2025. Around half of Yemen's children under the age of five suffer from chronic malnutrition. Reporting of health data from Houthi-controlled areas has been suspended for nearly a year, preventing a complete nationwide picture of the epidemiological situation.

Displacement Pressure

Figures cited by the minister indicate that 134,550 people have been displaced by the war between June and September 22, with most in Taiz, Lahij and Aden. The influx of displaced people has placed additional pressure on health facilities already struggling with limited resources. The International Organization for Migration found nearly 130,000 people, or 30,000 households, displaced across seven governorates since fighting escalated between the Iran-backed Houthis and the internationally recognised Yemeni government coalition forces in early September.