
'Forgotten crisis' leaves 10 million in danger of starvation WARNING: DISTURBING IMAGES
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A major appeal for help was launched Tuesday morning on TV and radio by the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) to send aid to the people of Yemen, who are seeing their children die from easily preventable health problems.
Highlights
Catholic Online (https://www.catholic.org)
12/14/2016 (8 years ago)
Published in Middle East
Keywords: Children, malnutrition, Yemen, starving
LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) - After 20 months of war, Yemen has run out of life-saving supplies and food.
The humanitarian aid appeal to save the millions of starving children and their families.
The DEC is working with 13 of the UK's leading aid charities and have received over 12,580,000 donations to help bring medical and nutritious aid to the massively emaciated citizens.
In a statement released alongside its sister charities, such as the British Red Cross, Oxfam, Save the Children and Christian Aid, the DEC explained: "In the midst of conflict, DEC member charities are reaching millions of people across the country with lifesaving aid - but much more needs to be done."
Prior to the ongoing conflict, Yemen imported 90 percent of its food. Now, with blockades and airstrikes keeping trade routes sealed, over half its 27,477,600 population is starving to death.
Medicine is scarce, disease is spreading and the DEC reports the country is at its "breaking point."
ITV reported Dr. Marwan Mohammed, who works in the malnutrition ward of Hodeidah Hospital, gestured around the room.
"They're going to die," he stated sadly. "Most of them we cannot do anything for them. They are going to die. It's very sad."
He explained how the effects of hunger have ravished the children but his lack of food or even basic medicine made it impossible to help.
According to the BBC, the appeal for help was presented by Clare Balding and actor Tom Hardy, both of whom explained: "In recent days on the news we have seen the human cost of the civil war in Yemen.
"Images of babies so weak their limbs are like brittle sticks, and their eyes are sunk deep in their faces. Yemen has always been desperately poor but there are now half a million starving children."
The British Red Cross added: "The ongoing conflict in Yemen has devastated millions of people's lives. Right now, more than half the population don't have enough food. Almost a quarter face starvation. Families are living with no water or electricity."
DEC reported less than half the country's health facilities were fully functional.
Alice Klein, a Save the Children advocate, said families she knew in Yemen were "desperate" for help.
"The babies and children were severely malnourished - as soon as the doctor began examining them and lifting up their clothes you could see all their ribs jutting out," she explained.
She admitted she had "honestly never seen anything like it" but witnessed how simple aid made a "physical and tangible difference."
According to the Independent, International Development Secretary Priti Patel explained: "Yemen faces a humanitarian crisis that the international community cannot ignore.
"Yemen has become the 'forgotten crisis' despite more than 10 million people desperately needing help and the threat of famine hanging over the country. ...The UK has led the international community to step up its efforts but more support is urgently needed, as this DEC Appeal shows.
"By matching pound for pound public donations to the DEC Appeal, we will double the difference British people can make to the lives of undernourished children with clean water, lifesaving food and medical treatment."
A spokesman for Oxfam shared: "The people of Yemen are facing one of the gravest humanitarian crises in the world, caught in the middle of a brutal war.
"Seven million people are a step away from famine and over two million children are acutely malnourished and require urgent care.
"Our common humanity tells us we cannot stand by and allow so many to suffer, to go hungry, to watch their loved ones die. We owe it to them, and to ourselves, to help as best we can."
Please pray for the men, women and children of Yemen. Pray for peace in their country, food for their stomachs, medicine in their hospitals and a wash of faith in the Lord.
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