News - Yemen: Yemeni Health Minister Dr. Ali Shaiban renewed his call for urgent action to allow life-saving medicines and medical equipment into the country through Sana’a International Airport.

He urged the United Nations and international organizations not to ignore the catastrophic humanitarian crisis that has already claimed the lives of thousands of patients and continues to threaten thousands more.

Dr. Shaiban stated that the blockade and continued closure of Sana’a Airport have deprived thousands of patients of essential medicines, including kidney-transplant drugs, blood derivatives, hormonal and immune treatments, resuscitation and anesthesia supplies, anticoagulants, and several diagnostic solutions. 

He noted that the airport’s closure—after being targeted by the Zionist enemy—has caused the disappearance or severe shortage of most medicines requiring special transport conditions such as refrigeration.

He added that the current situation clearly reflects the scale of the disaster, particularly for patients with chronic illnesses who cannot survive without regular access to critical medications. 

The Health Minister stressed that the aggression forces show no humanitarian or moral consideration as they impose an unprecedented blockade on the Yemeni people, while the UN and the international community remain shamefully silent.

Dr. Shaiban explained that the indirect damage caused by the aggression is far greater than the physical destruction of facilities, as the deprivation of medicines and basic health services cannot be quantified. He highlighted the growing difficulties facing the health sector in expanding services and meeting the population’s needs.

The Minister emphasized that the suspension of flights from Sana’a Airport has prevented thousands of critically ill patients from traveling abroad for treatment and has halted the delivery of medicines that require air transport.

He called on the United Nations to act swiftly by resuming flights through Sana’a Airport to transport medicines that cannot be brought in through any other entry point, describing this as an urgent humanitarian necessity to save the lives of thousands of patients—especially children.

Humanitarian reports show that the blockade has pushed Yemen’s medical system to the brink of total collapse. More than half of essential medicines are no longer available, and the remaining supplies are rapidly decreasing. Patients with kidney failure, cancer, blood disorders, and immune diseases are among the most affected, as their treatments cannot be produced locally and depend entirely on imports that must arrive by air.

The continued airport shutdown also prevents patients from traveling abroad for urgent surgeries and specialized care that are unavailable in Yemen due to the destruction of infrastructure and shortages of equipment, deepening a humanitarian crisis that health officials describe as unprecedented in scale and impact.