News - Yemen: The Minister of Public Health and Population, Dr. Taha Al-Mutawakel, stated that the number of registered cancer cases in Yemen has reached 62,000.

Dr. Al-Mutawakel affirmed, during his visit to the National Cancer Control Institution in the capital Sana'a, the increase in the number of people affected by this disease in recent years due to the US-Saudi aggression and blockade, as a result of internationally prohibited weapons used by the coalition against the Yemeni people.

Last October, the Supreme Medical Committee of the Ministry of Health officially stated that the abrupt halt of Yemenia Airlines flights from Sana'a International Airport to its only destination has had disastrous consequences for patients in need of medical treatment abroad.

The committee urgently called for Sana'a International Airport to be exempt from any political bargaining, recognizing its vital role as a humanitarian lifeline for thousands of patients. It renewed its plea to reopen the routes to Egypt and India from Sana'a Airport as essential destinations for Yemeni patients.

The statement emphasized that approximately 60,000 patients in Yemen with incurable conditions, along with tens of thousands registered in medical centers, await their chance to travel from Sana'a Airport. Their health conditions make distant airports such as Aden and Sayoun inaccessible.

On 9 August 2016, the Saudi-led coalition imposed restrictions on Yemen’s airspace resulting in the closure of Sana’a Airport to commercial flights, trapping millions of Yemenis in a war zone and preventing the free movement of humanitarian and commercial goods from entering through this route. As a result, thousands of Yemenis with long-term health conditions such as cancer, kidney, liver and blood conditions have died while waiting for treatment unavailable in Yemen.

The closure of the airport has also led to an almost complete halt to commercial cargo such as medicine, medical supplies and equipment coming into the country. Coupled with restrictions on Hodeidah port, this has caused prices of some medicine to double, making it unaffordable for most of the population and further contributing to the decline of Yemen’s health system, already decimated by the aggression.

With the beginning of the truce last year, the aggression tried to evade its commitment to open Sana'a airport and make flights only to one destination, Jordan, and for a very limited number.

Sana'a confirmed more than once that the continued closure of Sana'a airport proves the lack of seriousness of theUS-Saudi aggression to bring peace to Yemen.