Head of the inventory department at the Supreme Authority for Medicines Ibrahim Yahya confirmed on Monday that the continuation of the US-Saudi blockade on Yemen is causing a health disaster which is a crime against humanity.
Yahya told Almasirah that the import of medicines in Yemen until the end of 2020 decreased to 40 per cent, in contrast to an increase in the average need to 200 per cent and sometimes to 500 per cent for some medicines.
He pointed out that the blockade halted the activity of 82 importers, resulting in 1,329 medicinal brands being lost and 16 foreign pharmaceutical companies stopped. It caused a lack of 556 medicinal brands as well.
The Director of the Supreme Authority for Medicines Dr. Mohammad Al-Ghaili told Almasirah that the closure of Sana’a airport caused a cut in imports of medicines that require special and fast transport conditions. The most important of those are for chronic and critical diseases, he added.
The Deputy Director of the Import Department of the Supreme Commission for Medicines Mutahar Al-Razami pointed out that the medicines that arrive in Yemen are burdened by transportation costs. This prolongs its journey and thus multiplies its ultimate value to patients, he added.
