It has been several years now since I visited the city of Taiz in Yemen. At that time we stayed at a little guest house near the center of town. We had no trouble purchasing food, and we rode the city bus when we went to work at the hospital.
Even then, the hospital was poorly equipped. There were not enough respirators for the infants who needed them, some with neonatal tetanus, a disorder never seen in the developed world. Tetanus is completely preventable by the assurance of maternal immunization.
In the evening we drove up the mountain, where we dined at a quiet little restaurant overlooking the city. The mountain road was lined with parked cars, the Yemeni occupants taking their afternoon qat chew.
Now, I understand, the city is a battleground: the Houthis versus the defenders of the old Hadi government, both supported by other countries. The minimal resources previously available are gone. Both food and water are in short supply. And the meager resources of the hospital are gone, I’m sure.
The UN has noted the disaster, but they have no impetus to take action. Yemen has nothing anybody wants.
