WHO warns Yemen faces ‘highest burden’ of cholera globally

“The outbreak of waterborne diseases like cholera and acute watery diarrhoea imposes an additional burden on an already stressed health system facing multiple disease outbreaks,” said the WHO representative in Yemen, Arturo Pesigan. “The WHO and humanitarian actors are strained in their efforts to address the increasing needs due to severe funding shortages.”
He added that a lack of access to safe drinking water, poor community hygiene practices and limited access to timely treatment further hinder efforts to prevent and control the disease.
The crisis is exacerbated by Yemen’s persistent cholera transmission, including the world’s largest outbreak from 2017–2020, which saw over 2.5 million cases and 4,000 deaths. With global cholera cases reaching four million annually, the WHO has stressed the urgency of sufficient funding to address Yemen’s dire situation effectively.
UN News notes that the cholera crisis is just one facet of the war-torn country’s broader humanitarian crisis.
“The conflict has left 18.2 million people, nearly half the population, in need of humanitarian assistance, with 11.2 million slated for aid coverage,” it said. “Across the country, some 17.6 million people are affected by food insecurity, while almost half of all children under five suffer from moderate to severe stunting.”