HUMANITARIAN UPDATE Issue 08 / August 2020 A displaced family at an IDP site in Al Dhale’e Governorate, February 2020. ©OCHA/YPN Mahmoud Fadel Security Council warned that the HIGHLIGHTS acute funding shortage is leading Torrential rains cause to deeper cuts to the aid operation devastation across Yemen for the third time this year and deadly consequences for the P 02 Yemeni population COVID-19 response to be On 18 August, Assistant Secretary- works or cover basic operational costs pivoted General for Humanitarian Affairs and for health facilities in the middle of a P 03 Deputy Emergency Relief Coordinator, pandemic; the closure of health facilities Mr. Ramesh Rajasingham, warned caring for 1.8 million people; and Fuel crisis seriously holds Security Council members of the reduced food aid for 8 million people back the humanitarian devastating effects that the shortage while famine is stalking the country. response in northern of humanitarian funding is having But worse is to come. Mr. Rajasingham governorate on the aid operation in Yemen. As highlighted that by the end of August, he briefed the Security Council, the without further funding, water and P 04 Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP) sanitation programmes would be was 21 per cent funded, only 3 per cent reduced by 50 per cent in 15 cities; in Stranded migrants in up on the previous month, the lowest September support will stop to almost Yemen in desperate need of figure ever seen in Yemen so late in 400 more health facilities, cutting off 9 humanitarian assistance the year. “We cannot over-emphasize million people from medical care; and the severe impact the resulting cuts are treatment for over a quarter of a million P 06 having,” said Mr. Rajasingham. “It is severely malnourished children will very difficult to explain the rationale stop – children who will die without Locust infestations for these cuts to families who, as you assistance. threaten to exacerbate food heard last month, are staring down a Even pledges made at the funding insecurity in Yemen possible famine or losing loved ones to conference at the start of June remain COVID-19.” P 07 unpaid – only about half of the $1.35 By the end of August, the figure had billion pledged has been received. The inched up, and the HRP was 24 per Deputy Emergency Relief Coordinator cent funded, leaving the humanitarian urged donors – particularly Yemen’s response still woefully underfunded neighbours in the Gulf – to pay their with US$811.5 million received of the pledges, and called on those who did $3.38 billion required. The Deputy not pledge, or pledged less than last Emergency Relief Coordinator year, to increase their support. recapped on some of the worst cuts to the operation to date – partners unable to pay allowances to frontline health 2 Trends in Yemen Humanitarian Response Plan/appeal requirements 2010-2020 XX Response plan/appeal funding in billions (US$) 0.55 XX Unmet requirements in billions (US$) 0.60 0.58 0.61 0.72 2.57 0.89 1.03 1.76 2.51 3.65 0.81 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 Source: OCHA Financial Tracking System Torrential rains cause devastation across Yemen for the third time this year In late July and August, for the third time in 2020, houses have collapsed. By 29 August, estimates torrential rains and flooding hit governorates indicated that over 62,000 families were affected across Yemen, damaging infrastructure, in Sana’a, Marib, Hajjah, Raymah, Al Mahwit destroying homes and shelters, causing deaths and Al Hudaydah governorates. Families already and injuries, ruining crops and killing livestock. displaced have again been badly affected by the Dams have overflowed, water supplies have rains and flooding. been damaged, roads have been blocked, and Number of families affected by flooding between late July and 29 August 2020 Hub Number of affected families* Sa'ada Aden 3,295 Al Jawf Hajjah Amran Al Hudaydah 16,729 Amanat Al Asimah Marib Ibb 234 Al Hudaydah Sana'a Shabwah Marib 16,939** Raymah Dhamar Al Bayda Sa’ada 350 Ibb Al Dhale'e Abyan Sana’a 24,581*** Taizz Lahj Total 62,128 Aden * Figures are estimates provided by local authorities and are being verified. In some locations, the authorities included people affected by road damage. ** Source: Executive Unit for IDPs and partners *** Source: SCMCHA and partners 3 Partners continue to conduct assessments to verify assistance to 12,769 families by 29 August 2020. In figures provided by local authorities while the the Sana’a hub area, including Marib Governorate, response has been underway throughout August. As food assistance had been provided to approximately of 30 August, partners had been alerted to 18,665 1,500 families, and a WASH response to over 1,000 families across the country in possible need of an families following the recent wave of flooding. In emergency response through the Rapid Response Sa’ada, in the last week of August, partners were Mechanism (comprising emergency food supplies, preparing a shelter response providing 386 NFIs kits hygiene kits and other essential items) – of these, and 286 Emergency Shelter kits (ESKs) for families 7,950 families had been verified and 7,604 assisted. in Al Jawf Governorate and 662 NFIs kits and 310 ESKs to families in Sa’ada Governorate while a Gaps have been reported with shelter materials and WASH response was underway for IDP sites in Al non-food items (NFIs) and the emergency pipeline Jawf . In Ibb, in the third week of August, partners has been activated in all hubs. The WASH response completed the distribution of 168 NFIs kits and 72 has been seriously hindered by reduced funding ESKs in districts in Ibb and Taizz to families affected and delayed assessment approvals. Nevertheless, by flash flooding in April and May. A response was partners have scaled up the response across cluster underway to provide 375 NFI kits and 280 ESKs areas. In the Al Hudaydah hub, where an estimated to families in both governorates. In the Aden hub 24,272 families have been affected by heavy rains area in the third week of August in Al Mukha, food since April 2020, WASH support has been provided baskets were provided to over 860 flood-affected to an estimated 4,190 families, NFI kits to 8,382 families. families, shelter supplies to 4,674 families, and food COVID-19 response to be pivoted By 31 August, 1,962 confirmed cases of COVID-19 accessing treatment centres and the perceived risks had been reported in Yemen, including 567 deaths of seeking care. There has also been a decrease in and 1,133 recoveries, since the first case was health seeking behaviour more generally. reported on 10 April 2020. In the month to 31 Other factors that have had a negative impact on August, 230 cases were reported, 73 deaths, and the COVID-19 response include a lack of adaptive 269 recoveries. By far, the highest number of cases behaviour by the population to reduce transmission, and deaths have been reported in Hadramaut (890 severe funding shortages for health workers and cases, 284 deaths, and 438 recoveries), but this in personal protective equipment (PPE) and long part is likely to reflect the number of tests conducted delays in importing COVID-19 supplies. In order in the governorate. The number of reported cases to pivot and improve the response, partners are has slowed, and the official epi curve continues to working to increase surveillance; deploy dedicated underestimate the extent of COVID-19 in Yemen. COVID-19 staff within agencies; track the impact of The reasons for this include a lack of testing the disease on routine priority health programmes facilities and official reporting, and people delaying including on polio and cholera and for pregnant seeking treatment because of stigma, difficulty women; refine messaging to encourage behavioural Official reports of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Yemen 10 April – 31 August 2020 TOTAL REPORTED GOVERNORATES 1,962 COVID-19 CASES 11 AFFECTED 120 100 80 60 40 20 0 10-Apr 24-Apr 8-May 22-May 5-Jun 19-Jun 3-Jul 17-Jul 31-Jul 14-Aug 31-Aug Source: WHO 4 change; and boost intensive care unit (ICU) health-seeking behaviours; and improving data capacities. Other urgent priorities identified by capacities by working closely with the authorities. health partners prior to any subsequent waves of In the meantime, the COVID-19 response has the virus include upgrading screening capabilities continued to focus on testing, surveillance and case at points of entry and triage of cases at non-COVID management, while procuring oxygen, personal facilities; expanding testing capacity; safeguarding protective equipment (PPE), and monitors remain a heavily used parts of the public health system by priority. providing allowances and covering key operational costs; identifying innovative ways of encouraging Fuel crisis seriously holds back the humanitarian response in northern governorates Nearly three months on, the fuel crisis in in the north of the country, about a third of the northern governorates continues to force up the fuel cargo discharged in the previous three-month cost of essential items, access to healthcare, and period, resulting in a reduction in fuel stocks in transport for people, goods and materials. By northern governorates. the end of August, the average price of fuel was Recent reports from field offices indicate the about YER12,000 (approximately US$20) for 20 gravity of the issue. In Sa’ada, for example, over litres, on the informal market across northern 200,000 families were reportedly affected by cuts to governorates, lower than it has been in recently the WASH response in the third week of August.