Number of Yemeni Children with Leukemia Increased from 300 to 700 in Sanaa

By Staff, Agencies

The Pediatric Leukemia Treatment Center in Sanaa revealed an increase in cases of leukemia patients among children from 300 to 700 cases, as a result of the US-Saudi use of internationally prohibited weapons, including the airstrikes in Attan and Naqum.

The airstrikes resulted in the injury of a thousand children in the rest of the governorates as well.

The center’s director, Dr. Abd Al-Rahman al-Hadi, said that since its opening in 2014, the center has received about “1000” cases, 400 cases are frequently in the center, stressing that 30% of the cases died as a result of their delay in treatment and also as a result of the blockade that prevented them from receiving treatment abroad.

According to al-Hadi, the Leukemia Treatment Center in Sanaa suffers from tremendous pressure that exceeds its capacity because it is the only specialized center in Yemen, as the large numbers of patients coming from different governorates exceed the available capacity and medical supplies.

He held the Coalition of Aggression responsible for the death of injured children as a result of preventing the entry of their medicines, and said, “The cure rate is high for leukemia, but because of the interruption of medicines and preventing their entry, many sick children die.” He called on international organizations, especially global health, to do their part by providing them with medical needs.

Yemen is witnessing the worst humanitarian crisis in modern history, as Yemeni citizens struggle to meet their simple basic needs such as access to clean water, sanitation services, food, primary health care and epilepsy for survival.