UN: Famine and Epidemic Threaten Thousands of Yemenis in Hajjah and Abyan
Yemen Monitor / Newsroom:
The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) has warned of a worsening risk of famine in the Abs district of Hajjah governorate, northwest Yemen, where over 41,000 people face catastrophic food conditions.
The fund explained that the district, which hosts tens of thousands of internally displaced persons (IDPs) fleeing the conflict in Haradh and northern Hajjah, is seeing a sharp increase in hunger rates. A quarter of the women have been diagnosed with severe malnutrition due to a halt in food aid and the deterioration of agricultural land caused by climate shocks. The report noted that women and children make up about 80% of the displaced population and face increasing risks and daily suffering due to a lack of food and basic services.
In a related context, health authorities in the Zinjibar district of Abyan governorate announced a rise in cases of acute watery diarrhea. The director of the district’s health office, Abdul-Qader Bajameel, confirmed that over 400 cases had been admitted in recent weeks, including confirmed cases of cholera, which has put significant pressure on medical staff. The director of Zinjibar Hospital stated that the hospital is receiving patients from several districts in Abyan, as well as African migrants.
On a regional level, the UN has launched a 2025-2028 response plan valued at over $81 million to provide support for more than one million migrants in Yemen and the Horn of Africa. The plan, which is the first of its kind to be long-term, includes providing healthcare, psychological support, and emergency aid, in addition to voluntary return programs for migrants who wish to go back to their home countries. This comes amid warnings of continued violence, malnutrition, and a lack of health services along dangerous migration routes.
