This initiative stems from the UAE's civilized and humanitarian mission to achieve the aspirations of people and help them obtain basic health services, enhancing healthcare across the world.
This initiative reflects the UAE's humanitarian and moral duty towards its Yemeni brothers and sisters, with the aim of overcoming urgent health challenges on Socotra Island in cooperation with the World Health Organization (WHO).
International reports indicate that the island's population faces major nutritional challenges, especially among children, with the rate of acute malnutrition reaching 10.9%, and severe acute malnutrition reaching 1.6% among children under five. Global acute malnutrition rates ranging from 10% to 14% are internationally classified as critical, while severe acute malnutrition rates exceeding 1% are considered alarming.
In this context, Mohammed Haji Al Khouri, Director General of the Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan Foundation, emphasized the UAE's humanitarian and international responsibility in developing communities and enhancing essential health services. This follows the immortal humanitarian approach of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, to help one another everywhere and at all times.
This also implements the inspiring vision of Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, to address such nutritional and health challenges facing the children and women of Socotra Island in the sisterly Republic of Yemen, in strategic partnership with the World Health Organization.
He explained that the Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan Foundation, as an affiliate of the Zayed Humanitarian Legacy Foundation, will work with the World Health Organization to develop appropriate solutions to address these nutritional and health challenges by conducting a new survey based on current data.
This joint initiative seeks to reduce maternal and child deaths resulting from malnutrition by implementing a comprehensive approach to strengthening the health and nutritional system on Socotra Island over two consecutive years.
He stressed the importance of this in strengthening medical care services dedicated to maternal, infant, and child health, expanding emergency preparedness and epidemic control, and improving health and nutrition surveillance systems to ensure early detection of malnutrition and disease outbreaks.
Dr. Frema Coulibaly-Zerbo, Acting WHO Representative in Yemen, said that this joint effort reflects the shared vision of building sustainable health systems in Yemen. The organization is working with the United Arab Emirates and the Yemeni national authorities to meet urgent needs and lay the foundations for long-term health security on Socotra Island.
It is worth noting that this humanitarian initiative on Socotra Island is a form of official assistance between the UAE and the WHO office in Yemen, seeking to provide immediate food relief on the one hand, and mitigate nutritional and health deterioration among various groups and segments on the other.
This initiative will also enhance the healthcare infrastructure on Socotra Island by training staff, providing medicines, and establishing emergency preparedness mechanisms to ensure optimal response to health challenges.
It will also develop sustainable solutions to address malnutrition, raise community awareness, and improve disease surveillance to identify targeted medical interventions based on ongoing evaluation and study results.
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