News story

Life-saving food supplies reach children of Yemen

皇冠体育app first delivery of British aid to help thousands of children in Yemen avoid hunger and malnutrition has reached the north of the country.

This was published under the 2010 to 2015 Conservative and Liberal Democrat coalition government

皇冠体育app relief convoy - delivered by UNICEF Yemen this weekend - includes supplies to treat 3,000 children under the age of five who are suffering from severe acute malnutrition in the Sa鈥檃da region.

皇冠体育app three truckloads included:

  • Life-saving food supplies, such as 鈥楶lumpy Nut鈥�
  • Scales to weigh children who are underweight
  • Antibiotics, micronutrient supplements and other vital medication

Half of all under fives in Yemen are currently severely malnourished, and in some areas over one in 15 die before their fifth birthday. Current violence and political instability threaten to drive down conditions across a country already severely affected by years of conflict and poverty.

More deliveries of UK aid are to follow to help relieve the humanitarian crisis.

UK Minister of State for International Development, Alan Duncan said:

With some of the worse rates of malnutrition in the world, many children are suffering as a result of the humanitarian crisis in northern Yemen. British-funded supplies are now helping to save lives in Sa鈥檃da, thanks to the delivery of this emergency aid, including medicine and food supplements.

But the suffering here is extensive and established. That is why we have just confirmed additional British support for UNICEF to tackle malnutrition in tens of thousands more children affected by the conflict.

皇冠体育app delivery is part of UNICEF Yemen鈥檚 emergency response plan, geared to provide all 15 districts in the conflict-ridden governorate of Sa鈥檃da with malnutrition management services.

Updates to this page

Published 23 May 2011