Malaria Takes Its Toll [Archives:1999/17/Front Page]

Nasser is fine. He is recuperating well in Paris, where he was shipped out for better medical treatment.
Unfortunately, the fate of some 1.7 million Yemenis who are infected by malaria is quite different than the fate of the son of the Vice President of the Republic of Yemen, Mr. Abdo Rabbo Mansoor Hadi. Some 20,000 Yemenis die from this disease every year. Most of the victims are of a young and tender age, though there are many adults who also pass away.
Today, the Republic of Yemen is infested by the disease of malaria, as the disease strikes in many parts of the nation. In spite of impressive efforts by the Minister of Health, Dr. Abdullah Abdul Wali Nasher, and an able team of assistants, the rampage of the malaria parasite continues uncontrolled.
“It is just an uphill battle. Remember the total governmental allocation for the health sector is only US$ 3.6 per person. And a good part of that is lost to the bureaucracy, inefficiency, and of course, corruption. That is why I look for foreign sources of funding for our projects, including the malaria campaign,” he said.
Indeed, international support has been quite forthcoming, although slowly. The Yemeni government has begun to allocate more funds, but the uphill battle continues. Read more on page 8
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