Report reveals terrible scores of sufferers in Yemen [Archives:2005/898/Health]

The 2004 report of the Ministry of Public Health and Population revealed that the registered number of patients suffering from malaria, diarrhea, tuberculosis, Measles, wheezing, hepatitis and AIDS reached 227,824. The report recorded the overall number of cases in all the Yemeni governorates, 38220 of which in the capital, 5455 in Sana'a Governorate and 25719 in Aden.

According to the report, over 20 billion and 123 million dollars is the value of drugs imported by the government of Yemen from around 253 Arab and world drug companies. Among these companies, 32 are Egyptian, 31 Indian and 30 German during the year. The report added that US$ 1,242,622 is the value of the imported medical equipment.

These terrible numbers are verified by visits to public and private hospitals and clinics, where the health facilities are crowded with patients on a regular daily bases irrespective of the lack of proper recording of cases in rural and remote areas due to the lack of health care and health services.

In addition to the official import of drugs, there is the phenomenon of drug trafficking, which the government acknowledged and warned of its risks, but it never took any serious measures to restrict it.

On the other hand, domestic drug industry experienced deterioration while drugs for improving the sexual potency filled the Yemeni markets with reasonable prices for the public.

It is remarkable, the consumption of drugs in Yemen is very high and it has become customary to see patients going out of clinics carrying prescriptions filled with new names and brands of drugs.
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