Sana’a-20 April 2016 – As the crisis has crippled lifesaving work in most governorates in Yemen, leaving 3.4 million women and girls of reproductive age vulnerable without access to basic health services, UNFPA sends new equipment to health facilities in most conflict affected areas.

In 2012, the Government of Germany (through KFW) provided EUR 8 million to UNFPA to implement the project “Reproductive Health Programme-Crisis Response” aiming to reduce maternal mortality and morbidity among populations in eight of the affected governorates in the country.

The KFW funding comes as contribution from the Government of Germany to relief the suffering of Yemeni people in particular women affected by the current humanitarian crisis through supporting the provision of the basic and comprehensive emergency obstetric and neonatal care services in the targeted governorates.

In this regard, UNFPA, the United Nations Population Funds, and Ministry of Public Health and Population (MOPHP) inaugurated the distribution of the emergency obstetric and neonatal care equipment to 37 hospitals providing comprehensive emergency obstetric care services, 65 health facilities proving basic emergency obstetric care services, and 85 community midwifery clinics.

Mr. Ezizgeldi Hellenov, UNFPA Representative a.i to Yemen and Dr Najeeba Al-Shawafi, Deputy Minister of Health toured the warehouse and saw the assembled equipment per facility per governorate are ready to go to facilities. Both appreciated the efforts of the joint team from the ministry and UNFPA to get these equipment sorted out and assembled during this very crucial period of time and urged the team to start transportation of equipment to facilities as soon as possible.

“It is a relief to finally see the equipment here. People are in a dire need and waiting to receive this assistance. The ministry will be more than happy to facilitate the transportation process” Said, the Deputy Minister of MOPHP.

“This funding from KFW has enabled UNFPA to scale up its response and service provision for the women and girls of reproductive age within the most affected governorates. We are happy to get the equipment despite the existing challenges,” said Ezizgeldi Hellenov, UNFPA Representative a.i.

UNFPA and the ministry expressed their sincere thanks to the Government of Germany represented by KFW for their generous support. The two parties agreed to pay future visits for the health facilities in the targeted governorates to see how these set of equipment improve the quality of maternal health care services and how women are benefiting from these services.