Report: Over Eight Million Yemenis Suffer from Mental Disorders
More than a quarter of Yemenis—over eight million people—suffer from mental disorders such as depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, and schizophrenia, the Action Against Hunger (AAH) said in a recent report. According to the report, the continuing conflict, forced displacement, deteriorating economic situation, poverty, and food shortages are exacerbating the prevalence of mental disorders, which affect all communities and social groups in the country. Only 10% of the country's primary healthcare facilities have staff trained to diagnose or treat mental disorders. The report added that the stigma surrounding mental health issues delays treatment and, by devaluing the related professions, discourages students from getting training to tackle these issues. The civil war in Yemen began in 2015, killing 377,000 people and displacing over 4 million people, according to reports.
A human rights report revealed that 2,843 civilians were killed and injured in mine blasts over the past six years in Yemen. The Yemeni Network for Rights and Freedoms said the casualties resulting from mines explosions happened in (13) provinces, including Marib, Al-Bayda, Al-Hudaydah, Lahj, Taiz, Ibb, Sana'a, Abyan, Al-Jawf, Al-Dhale', Amran, Saada, Hajjah. The report indicated that Taiz province topped the list in terms of the number of deaths due to mines, with (214), followed by Al-Hudaydah with (154) killings, Marib with (148), and Al-Jawf with (102). The report added that the number of wounded people suffering from permanent disabilities due to landmine explosions reached (764), including (272) cases of limb amputation, in addition to two cases of loss of sight.
Head of Yemen's Presidential Leadership Council Rashad Al-Alimi awarded Saudi Project Masam the Medal of Bravery for its humanitarian efforts to clear Yemen of landmines and other remnants of war. Al-Alimi presented the award to Ousama Al-Gosaibi, the project's managing director. The Yemeni official also honored his country's National Mine Action Program, represented by its director, Brig. Gen. Amin Al-Aqili, with the medal. Project Masam has cleared more than 55 million square meters of land and removed 436,376 mines, improvised explosive devices, and unexploded ordnance.
Israeli strikes killed 77 Palestinians in Gaza in the past 24 hours, health authorities said on Sunday, as Egypt hosted an Israeli delegation for a new round of talks in a bid to secure a truce with Hamas in Gaza. The Israeli military said it killed a senior Islamic jihad militant in a strike on a command centre in the courtyard of the Al-Aqsa Hospital in central Gaza. It did not mention his name or rank. There was no immediate comment from Islamic Jihad, a militant group and ally of Hamas. Palestinian health officials and Hamas media said the strike hit several tents inside the Al-Aqsa Hospital, killing four people and wounding several, including five journalists.
