Yemen, a country in West Asia, is currently facing a devastating cholera outbreak. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), as of December 1, 2024, Yemen accounted for 35% of all cholera cases worldwide, with 249,900 suspected cases and 861 recorded deaths.
It highlights the severe consequences of a decade-long conflict, a collapsing economy, and a failing healthcare system.
Due in large part to more thorough reporting from Yemen’s governorates, this year’s numbers represent a 37% increase in cases and a 27% increase in deaths over the same period in 2023.
Arturo Pesigan, WHO Representative in Yemen, emphasized the dire situation: “The outbreak of waterborne diseases like cholera imposes an additional burden on an already overstressed health system grappling with multiple disease outbreaks.”
What is causing the cholera epidemic?
The cholera epidemic in Yemen is fueled by multiple factors, including limited access to clean drinking water, poor sanitation, and insufficient medical treatment facilities. Over 18.2 million Yemenis—nearly half the population—require humanitarian aid, while 17.6 million face food insecurity. Among children under five, nearly half suffer from moderate to severe stunting due to malnutrition.
Yemen’s healthcare system has been battered by years of war, leaving it ill-equipped to handle outbreaks of waterborne diseases. Cholera, an illness caused by consuming contaminated water or food, has persisted in the country since its largest outbreak from 2017 to 2020, when over 2.5 million cases and 4,000 deaths were reported.
Underfunded Response?
The country’s cholera response is severely underfunded, with a $20 million gap for the October 2024 to March 2025 response period. This financial shortfall has already forced the closure of 47 diarrhoea treatment centres (DTCs) and 234 oral rehydration centres (ORCs) between March and November 2024. By the end of the year, an additional 17 DTCs and 39 ORCs are set to shut down, potentially eliminating 84% of DTCs and 62% of ORCs nationwide.
Without adequate funding, Yemen risks a repeat of the catastrophic 2017-2020 outbreak. “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,” Pesigan noted.
The WHO has demanded that the crisis be addressed immediately and thoroughly. These include launching community engagement programs, increasing laboratory capacity, improving disease surveillance, bolstering coordination, and expanding treatment services. To stop the disease’s spread, oral cholera vaccination campaigns and water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) initiatives are also essential.
Cholera remains a global health challenge, with four million cases reported annually worldwide. Yet Yemen bears the highest burden, reflecting the catastrophic toll of prolonged conflict and neglect. The ongoing epidemic highlights the urgent need for international solidarity and sustainable solutions to address the underlying issues of water, sanitation, and healthcare access in Yemen.
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