A $1.55 million Saudi partnership with the World Health Organization will support 35 therapeutic feeding centres as Yemen’s child malnutrition crisis reaches an unprecedented level.
Saudi Arabia has announced a new $1.55 million partnership with the World Health Organization aimed at expanding treatment for children in Yemen who are suffering from severe acute malnutrition and related medical complications. The project is expected to support 35 therapeutic feeding centres and directly benefit more than 18,000 children under the age of five, underscoring the scale of the country’s worsening child nutrition crisis.
According to the World Food Programme, 18.3 million people in Yemen face acute food insecurity, while 2.2 million children under five are acutely malnourished. UNICEF has said nearly 462,000 children are living with severe acute malnutrition, a condition that can become fatal without rapid inpatient treatment, while the UN children’s agency has described the situation as reaching an all-time high. Yemen’s dependence on imported food, combined with years of conflict, economic collapse and repeated disruption to supply chains, has left families especially exposed.
Dr Abdullah Al-Rabeeah, supervisor general of the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre, said in a WHO statement that the funding would help children recover and improve their prospects for the future. Dr Abdullah Al-Moallem, director of the health and environmental aid department at KSrelief, told Arab News the agreement reflected the centre’s ongoing focus on reducing preventable deaths among Yemen’s most vulnerable children. He said early detection and treatment of moderate acute malnutrition remained important as well, to stop children deteriorating into more serious illness.
The 12-month initiative will see WHO procure and distribute 402 paediatric and severe acute malnutrition kits containing medicines, intravenous fluids, supplies and equipment. The support will go to feeding centres across Abyan, Aden, Al-Dhale’e, Al-Mahrah, Al-Mukalla, Lahj, Marib, Seiyun, Shabwah, Socotra and Taiz, in coordination with Yemen’s Ministry of Public Health and Population. WHO representative to Yemen Syed Jaffar Hussain said the backing came at a critical moment for health workers struggling to treat children with life-threatening complications.
The new deal builds on a wider Saudi humanitarian footprint in Yemen. KSrelief said that by the end of August 2026 it had implemented 1,228 projects in the country worth more than $4.79 billion, making Yemen its largest aid recipient. In April, the centre also gave the World Food Programme $25 million to help deliver emergency food aid and support livelihoods, while earlier cooperation with WHO included training for health workers in therapeutic feeding and paediatric care. The latest partnership comes as WHO warns of a broader health emergency in Yemen, with cholera, measles, dengue and malaria all rising in recent weeks.
Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical judgment, advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
