Yemen's healthcare system is on the brink of collapse. Only about 50% of health facilities are fully functional, with the remainder partially operational or entirely out of service due to shortages of staff, funds, electricity, or medicines.
The country faces multiple concurrent outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases, including cholera, measles, diphtheria, dengue, and polio. Low immunisation coverage, mass displacement, and disrupted water and sanitation networks have accelerated these outbreaks. In response, a mass oral cholera vaccination campaign targeting 3.8 million people across six governorates was launched in December 2024.
Malnutrition rates have reached critical levels. As of early 2025, approximately 2.7 million children are acutely malnourished, with 49% of children under five suffering from stunting or chronic malnutrition. In the western coastal areas, malnutrition rates have soared to 33%, prompting warnings of an impending catastrophe. Pregnant and lactating women are also severely affected, with around 1.4 million experiencing acute malnutrition. The situation is exacerbated by aid cuts and poor food distribution, leaving more than half the population dependent on humanitarian aid.