Yemen ‘on Brink of Disaster’ as Medical Shortages Soar

Yemen ‘on Brink¹ of Disaster’ as Medical Shortages Soar

LONDON—

Aid agencies warn Yemen is on the brink of humanitarian² disaster – with up to half a million children facing severe malnutrition³, and hospitals running out of basic medicines. There are fears Yemen's civil war could escalate⁴ as the coalition⁵ led by Saudi Arabia tries to drive back Houthi rebels, who seized control of much of the country earlier this year.

Standing⁶ amid bombed out buildings in the heart of the Yemeni capital, Sana'a, the Al Sabeen Hospital is a lifeline for children and pregnant women; but, it’s on the brink of collapse⁷.

The aid agency Save the Children provides support to the hospital.  Its spokesperson, Mark Kaye, has just returned from Sana’a – and he spoke⁸ to VOA via Skype from Jordan.

“Before the crisis it had a catchment population of about 300,000; but, since the crisis that number has risen to almost 3 million, with the entire governorate reliant on it for specialist care," said Kaye.

Managers say the hospital has run out of some medicines including intravenous fluids, anesthetics, blood transfusion⁹ tests and Valium.

In the nearby Al Olfi clinic, doctors are noticing a worrying trend – a sharp rise in the numbers of malnourished children.  More than half a million people are expected to suffer severe malnutrition in 2015.  Pediatrician Najibah Ali Al-Ghasal says the situation is critical.

“We are facing famine with our children,” she said. “We can't be sit by and wait. We call on the United Nations to look at the children who are innocent and shouldn't be experiencing malnutrition like this, their fear, and the anxiety we are facing.”

Aid agencies blame the acute shortages on the Saudi-led blockade and bombing of the Houthi-controlled port of Hodeida. Up to 90 percent of hospital supplies were routed through the port. Again, Mark Kaye:

“So what we really need to see is unhindered access for these absolutely critical goods, otherwise more children and pregnant women will pay the price," he said.

Aid agencies warn that across Yemen, around 15 million people lack access to basic health care – and that will likely prove the deadliest consequence of the conflict. 

1 brink   

n.(悬崖、河流等的)边缘，边沿

参考例句：

• The tree grew on the brink of the cliff.那棵树生长在峭壁的边缘。
• The two countries were poised on the brink of war.这两个国家处于交战的边缘。

2 humanitarian   

n.人道主义者，博爱者，基督凡人论者

参考例句：

• She has many humanitarian interests and contributes a lot to them.她拥有很多慈善事业，并作了很大的贡献。
• The British government has now suspended humanitarian aid to the area.英国政府现已暂停对这一地区的人道主义援助。

3 malnutrition   

n.营养不良

参考例句：

• In Africa, there are a lot of children suffering from severe malnutrition.在非洲有大批严重营养不良的孩子。
• It is a classic case of malnutrition. 这是营养不良的典型病例。

4 escalate   

v.(使)逐步增长(或发展)，(使)逐步升级

参考例句：

• It would tempt Israel's neighbors to escalate their demands.它将诱使以色列的邻国不断把他们的要求升级。
• Defeat could cause one side or other to escalate the conflict.失败可能会导致其中一方将冲突升级。

5 coalition   

n.结合体，同盟，结合，联合

参考例句：

• The several parties formed a coalition.这几个政党组成了政治联盟。
• Coalition forces take great care to avoid civilian casualties.联盟军队竭尽全力避免造成平民伤亡。

6 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

7 collapse   

vi.累倒；昏倒；倒塌；塌陷

参考例句：

• The country's economy is on the verge of collapse.国家的经济已到了崩溃的边缘。
• The engineer made a complete diagnosis of the bridge's collapse.工程师对桥的倒塌做了一次彻底的调查分析。

8 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

9 transfusion   

n.输血，输液

参考例句：

• She soon came to her senses after a blood transfusion.输血后不久她就苏醒了。
• The doctor kept him alive by a blood transfusion.医生靠输血使他仍然活着。