President of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), Peter Maurer said, “The great tragedy is that this cholera outbreak is a preventable, man-made humanitarian catastrophe.
“It is a direct consequence of a conflict that has devastated civilian infrastructure and brought the whole health system to its knees.
“I find this needless suffering absolutely infuriating. The world is sleep-walking into yet more tragedy.”
Maurer arrived in Yemen today for a 5-day trip to meet health workers battling the deadly disease and discuss the humanitarian situation with communities and officials on all sides of the conflict.
With at least 10 families approaching the ICRC every week to report a missing loved one, Mr Maurer will urge all warring parties to provide unconditional and immediate access to people detained in relation with the conflict.
LISTEN: Cholera: The disease, the Yemen crisis and the vaccine
Through July 19, the number of cholera cases reported in Yemen has reached 368,207 suspected cases, including 1,828 deaths since Apr. 27.
ICRC experts expect the current number of suspected cholera cases to at least double by the end of 2017 to over 600,000 – or one in every 45 Yemenis.
The ICRC is present on the ground to provide emergency humanitarian relief to at least 4 million people in Yemen in Sana’a, Saada, Aden, Taiz, Hodeida and other governorates in Yemen.
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