Radiation Therapy in Mukalla on the Verge of Collapse… Vital Shipment Stuck in Muscat for 16 Days
Yemen Monitor / Newsroom:
Millions of health cases in Hadramout and southern Yemen are facing an immediate threat to their lives, following the breakdown of the radiation therapy device at the Mukalla Radiation Therapy Center, which is the sole source of radiation treatment for cancer patients in the region.
The center’s management appealed to the concerned authorities to take urgent action to save the lives of the patients, noting that a vital spare part was shipped from the US via Muscat, but it has been stuck there since October 16, 2025, without being released due to customs and logistical procedures.
The center’s management reported that the required part was officially identified by the manufacturer, and the shipment was prepared via DHL. However, its arrival in Mukalla was halted due to administrative backlogs and a delay in customs clearance, despite the shipment being classified as a medical emergency. They confirmed that the delay is not due to a technical fault, but rather a delay in handling the reception procedures, which threatens to delay the treatment of hundreds of patients whose lives depend on this device.
The appeal indicated that the center has been providing its services to patients free of charge, continuously and without interruption, for years, despite the significant environmental and logistical challenges in the governorate. While the center’s management continues to attempt communication with all relevant parties, the situation has become a severe humanitarian crisis, especially with the deteriorating conditions of patients who are at a critical stage in their treatment.
The management affirmed that the continued stoppage of the device means an escalation in fatalities, especially among patients who require continuous sessions of radiation therapy, and warned that every hour of delay means a deterioration in the patients’ health condition and a reduction in the chances of recovery.
They stated that they are requesting the Prime Minister, the Minister of Health, the concerned Governors, and the oversight bodies to intervene immediately to accelerate the reception procedures and enable the shipment to enter the country as quickly as possible. They also appealed to DHL to provide technical and administrative support to speed up the unloading and transfer of the shipment to the Mukalla Center without any delay.
The management emphasized that the patients’ health is not just an administrative formality, but a matter of life or death, urging everyone to act quickly, stating: “Time will not wait, and the patients do not have the time to wait for solutions.”
