epa06331500 A malnourished Yemeni child receives treatment amid worsening malnutrition in the emergency ward of a hospital in Sana'a, Yemen, 15 November 2017. According to reports, more than 50,000 children under the age of 15 in Yemen are at risk of death from severe acute malnutrition by the end of the year after more than two years of escalating conflict between Yemen's Saudi-backed government forces and the Houthi rebels. EPA/YAHYA ARHAB

Yemen: Save the Children, 130 kids die every day

Yamanyoon- 16 Nov 2017

Save the Children has denounced in a statement that on average 130 children in Yemen die every day of hunger and disease, one every ten minutes A continuing blockade by the Saudi Arabia-led coalition on the country’s northern ports of entry is likely to increase the death toll further, past the projected 50,000 children expected to die this year, Save the Children said ”Even before this latest blockade, based on this calculation Yemen would expect to see about 50,000 malnourished children under the age of five die from hunger or disease this year – an average of 130 a day, or one child every ten minutes”, the organization warned in a statement.

A few days ago, Unicef estimated that there are about 400,000 children who risk death for malnutrition in the country.

Without urgent, unhindered access for humanitarian organizations and an increase in funding, Save the Children is warning half of these children will most likely go without treatment.

”Based on the available evidence, if left untreated approximately 20-30% of children with severe acute malnutrition will die each year”, according to the statement.

”These deaths are as senseless as they are preventable”, said Tamer Kirolos, director of Save the Children in Yemen.

”They mean more than a hundred mothers grieving for the death of a child, day after day.” ”Save the Children currently has five shipping containers full of life-saving food for sick and malnourished children stuck in Aden because of road closures. Our staff cannot reach communities to provide life-saving care and much-needed supplies and relief workers cannot enter the country. Essential medicines, fuel and food stocks could start running out in a matter of weeks. It’s utterly unacceptable to let children die of neglect and a lack of political will.” ”Without urgent action the future looks bleak. Unless the blockade is lifted immediately more children will die. War has already destroyed public services and created the world’s biggest humanitarian crisis. It is unconscionable to punish Yemen’s children by restricting access to parts of the country”, he also said.

However, the United Nations have ”no indication” that the Saudi-led Coalition has reopened ports and airports, as previously announced.