Yemen’s internationally recognized government issued an urgent warning about deteriorating conditions in Taiz, a southwestern city under siege by Houthis. The Ministry of Public Health and Population reported that hospitals face critical shortages of essential supplies including medicines, intravenous fluids, medical equipment, and fuel for generators. Officials cautioned that emergency services, surgical care, intensive care units, dialysis treatment, and neonatal services could cease operations if the supply restrictions persist, potentially endangering patients, injured persons, pregnant women, and newborns.
The fuel shortage poses additional threats beyond hospital operations, as electricity generators, ambulances, and refrigeration units necessary for preserving medicines and vaccines are all at risk of failure. Such failures could lead to severe complications and preventable deaths, according to ministry statements. Government authorities demanded immediate lifting of the siege, reopening of supply corridors, and safe passage for medical personnel, patients, and humanitarian aid. They appealed to the United Nations and international humanitarian organizations to deliver critical medical supplies to the city’s health facilities.
The current siege began in early October following Houthi military operations along the Red Sea coast. The group captured the port city of Mocha in September and took control of At Turbah by October 4, severing the primary road connecting Taiz city to other government-controlled areas. This escalation came as Yemeni government forces, supported by Saudi Arabia, launched a counteroffensive. Nabil Jamil, a planning official for the governorate, characterized the present siege as more severe than a previous blockade that occurred between 2015 and 2016, noting that approximately 2.8 million people reside in government-held areas along with 200,000 recently displaced persons.
Economic conditions have deteriorated significantly, with fuel scarcity driving black market prices dramatically upward. The cost of a 20-liter container of petrol rose from 30,000 Yemeni riyals to 90,000 riyals. International organizations including the UN refugee agency and World Health Organization have expressed concerns about the conflict’s impact on Yemen’s health infrastructure. Human rights advocates emphasized the need to protect civilians from being used as leverage in the ongoing dispute.
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