Hospitals in Yemen’s southwestern city of Taiz are running critically short of fuel and oxygen after renewed fighting cut the city off from key supply routes. At the Yemeni-Swedish Hospital for Maternity and Childhood, staff have reduced the number of incubators in use from 40 to 10, putting premature and sick newborns at risk.
The force encircling the government-held city is the Iran-aligned Houthi movement, also known as Ansar Allah. The Houthis have blocked key routes, including the Taiz–Aden corridor, as fighting has escalated between Houthi forces and the Saudi-backed Yemeni government. The United Nations says Taiz has been largely isolated since October 3, leaving aid supplies unable to enter and civilians struggling to leave.
Fuel shortage threatens newborn care
Nurses at the hospital say shortages of oxygen and fuel are disrupting the care needed to keep incubators running and babies warm. A neonatal unit supervisor warned that the hospital could be forced to stop operating if fuel does not arrive.
The crisis extends beyond one facility. The World Health Organization said 42 health facilities in Taiz city were reporting acute shortages of fuel, oxygen, medicines and other medical supplies. Fuel prices have climbed sharply, making travel to hospitals and other essential services increasingly difficult.
Food assistance and treatment also at risk
The World Food Programme said more than 800,000 people in Taiz and surrounding areas had been cut off from food assistance. UNICEF reported that more than 52,000 of the 168,000 children screened in Taiz this year were acutely malnourished, including over 11,500 with severe acute malnutrition.
UNICEF has positioned therapeutic food in the governorate, but insecurity and movement restrictions could prevent future deliveries and stop families from reaching treatment centres. Aid workers say repeated displacement is adding to the risks for children and other vulnerable residents.
The impact is also being felt in nearby southern governorates. Medical charity Médecins Sans Frontières has reported fuel-related power outages affecting hospitals and primary healthcare centres in Aden and Lahj, including operating theatres and intensive care units.
With access roads cut and fuel supplies dwindling, aid agencies warn that medical care, water delivery and food support across Taiz could deteriorate further unless safe movement and humanitarian access are restored.
