NEW DELHI: Yemen has seen a surge in cholera plague globally, with around 250,000 suspected infections and 861 deaths reported until Dec 1, as stated by the UN World Health Organization (WHO). This includes 35 percent of all cholera cases and 18 percent of the loss of lives in 2024.

A sharp rise was observed in November, with cases expanding by 37 percent and the death rate growing by 27 percent compared to the same time in 2023.

“Waterborne diseases like cholera and acute watery diarrhea have added immense pressure on Yemen’s already struggling health system,” said Arturo Pesigan, WHO Representative in Yemen.

The outbreak of cholera increases due to the present struggles, including 10 years of struggles and conflicts and major economic burns.
The cholera outbreak worsens amid Yemen’s struggles, including more than 10 years of strife, economic fallout, and a fragile healthcare system.

The country endured its worst cholera outbreak from 2017 to 2020, and the disease has persisted to be a serious problem since then. WHO stated that the current rise in cases is triggered by issues like lack of clean water, poor sanitation, and constrained access to health facilities. 

The trials to face the plague struggle due to a $20 million funding gap for the period between October 2024 and March 2025.
The financial shortage has triggered the wrap-up of 47 diarrhea treatment centers (DTCs) and 234 oral rehydration centers (ORCs) from March to November.

WHO has warned that if the funds are not given quickly, another 17 DTCs and 39 ORCs will close by the end of December, leaving 84% of DTCs and 62% of ORCs unable to operate. Humanitarian groups stress that Yemen could face a catastrophe as bad as the 2017-2020 cholera epidemic, which had a weak system already.

Yemen, bound by the cholera plague, is one part of a larger humanitarian crisis. Over 18.2 million people, nearly half the population, need aid, with 11.2 million in dire need of help.

Food insecurity impacts 17.6 million people across the country, and almost half of children under five are suffering from moderate to severe stunting.

As the cholera outbreak gets bad and funding runs low, Yemen’s health system is on the brink of crumbling, leaving millions at risk of preventable diseases.