Widespread Drug Shortage in Yemen Amid Saudi Blockade
A Yemeni pharmaceutical official has stated that due to the Saudi blockade and attacks, access to medicine in Yemen is facing a severe crisis, leaving thousands of patients in serious difficulties.
Abdullah Al-Sharif, Deputy Head of Yemen’s Supreme Committee for Pharmaceutical Affairs, said that over 1,600 types of medicine have become scarce in the country’s market. According to him, this situation has arisen as a result of ongoing attacks and restrictions on the entry of medical supplies into Yemen.
He added that more than 83 pharmaceutical companies responsible for providing approximately 1,300 drug items are currently operating under difficult conditions. Furthermore, two medicine manufacturing plants have been damaged during the attacks, reducing the domestic production capacity.
The Yemeni official also noted that disruptions in drug transportation routes and the closure of Sanaa airport have caused a significant increase in medicine prices. He emphasized that more than 170,000 patients suffering from incurable and cancerous diseases have been affected by this situation.
In recent years, Yemen has faced one of the world’s most severe humanitarian crises, with restrictions on food and medicine imports putting enormous pressure on the country’s healthcare system.
