UN says one Yemeni child dies every 10 minutes

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said that, in Yemen, one child under five dies every 10 minutes from preventable causes.

In a report on Monday OCHA said that Yemen suffers from the world’s largest humanitarian crisis where nearly 19 million people – two-thirds of the total population – need humanitarian assistance and protection.

Read: Yemen close to ‘breaking point’

It noted that more than 10 million Yemenis need immediate assistance and more than 8 million people lack access to drinking water and sanitation.

The United Nations and its partners launched an international appeal earlier this year to raise $2.1 billion to provide immediate life-saving assistance and protection for 12 million people in need.

According to the appeal, the funding would provide an effective humanitarian response in Yemen, especially since the Office has received only 15 percent of that amount, recording a funding gap of $1.8 billion.

On Tuesday OCHA will host the Humanitarian Response Plan Financing Meeting in Switzerland under the auspices of Switzerland and Sweden, with the presence of UN Secretary General Antonio Gutierres  and Under-Secretary-General and Emergency Relief Coordinator, Stephen O’Brien.