In southern Yemen, our teams carried out a fact-finding mission in the Al Musaymir district, located in the Lahj governorate, close to several front lines.
The aim: to assess the healthcare needs of communities affected by the conflict and to identify ways of supporting the Al Musaymir rural hospital, a vital healthcare facility for local residents.
A population facing violence and displacement
In the Al Musaymir district, the clashes and shelling that regularly affect the region are forcing many families to flee their homes. These displacements are putting further strain on host communities and healthcare facilities that are already under pressure.
In this rural and mountainous region, access to healthcare remains particularly difficult for local people, mainly due to insecurity, the distance to healthcare facilities and a lack of medical resources.
The Al Musaymir rural hospital therefore plays a vital role in providing care for local residents and displaced families. Located close to the front lines, it treats patients injured in the fighting, whom it sometimes has to stabilise before they are transferred to referral hospitals in Lahj or Aden.
Priority needs identified
As part of this exploratory mission, Mehad carried out a needs assessment of the hospital in order to identify the services requiring priority support.
Several areas for action have been identified:
- Strengthening the A&E department through the training of medical teams, the provision of medical equipment and consumables, and improvements to patient care and transfer procedures.
- Support for antenatal care, in particular to ensure the management of obstetric emergencies and childbirth.
- Improving continuity of care, whilst increasing capacity to admit and monitor patients requiring short-term medical supervision.
Ultimately, a project to support the hospital could be rolled out to benefit an estimated population of 50,000 people, including displaced families and host communities.
This mission represents a first step towards identifying needs that are still not being adequately met and devising an appropriate medical response, in coordination with local healthcare providers and humanitarian organisations operating in the region.
Through this initiative, Mehad is continuing its commitment to communities affected by conflict, to ensure they retain access to essential healthcare.
