Oncology Center in Sana’a To Stop Due to Saudi Full Blockade

 The National Cancer Center for Oncology,  warned of an imminent interruption of its services as a result of the continued maritime piracy on fuel ships, preventing them from entering the port of Hodeidah.

The Director of the National Center for Oncology, Dr. Abdullah Thawabeh, confirmed that the center treats all patients according to treatment plans, while most of the possibilities are not currently available, indicating that Yemen has witnessed an increase in cancer cases during the past seven years.

He stated that the number of cases received by the center since its establishment until today has reached 78,000, including 37,000 during the past few years, noting that the number of cancer patients’ deaths reaches 300 cases annually.

He noted that the coalition of aggression prevented the entry of medicines for cancer patients and at the same time closed the airport preventing patients to travel for treatment abroad, calling on the international community to pressure the aggression to open Sana’a International Airport and allow patients to travel, especially children with leukemia.

On the effects and damages of the aggression on oncology patients and the center’s services, Dr. Thawabeh reported an increase in the incidence of cancer during the years of aggression from 4,207 cases in 2015 to 6,239 cases in 2021.

He pointed out that more than three thousand cancer patients have been denied travel for treatment abroad, radioactive treatment and nuclear medicine services have been permanently stopped as a result of the siege and the closure of Sanaa airport by the coalition of aggression, stressing that the radiation department at the center may be closed if the international community organizations do not intervene to support it.

“Radioactive iodine is simple and inexpensive and is part of the patient’s treatment, and today it is prohibited from entering Yemen due to the blockade,” he said, adding that chemotherapy for cancer can no longer be entered due to the continued closure of the airport.

The director of the center attributed the lack of more than 50% of medicines for cancer patients, especially targeted and chemical medicines, to the reluctance of suppliers to import them as a result of the obstacles and arbitrary measures imposed by the coalition countries to prevent the entry of these medicines through the port of Hodeidah or Sana’a airport, especially since most of them need to be kept in safe grades and specific heat when transferred.

He pointed out that more than 40% of the diagnostic and medical devices stopped working due to maintenance problems and the difficulty of providing spare parts, especially CT scan devices and the laboratory, and the lack of technical and specialized cadres in the field of diagnosis and treatment of tumors as a result of some leaving to work abroad and the suspension of scholarships and postgraduate scholarships due to the aggression, siege and scarcity. Financial resources, in addition to the abandonment by many international and regional organizations and donors of their commitments.

A report issued by the center also indicated that the number of new cases during 2021 amounted to 6,239 cases, while the number of recurring cases in consulting clinics reached 46,204 cases, and two medical intervention clinics. 1,311 cases, while the number of cases received by the chemotherapy preparation unit for the departments of hypnosis and external management reached 30 thousand and 443 cases.

A report issued by the center also indicated that the number of new cases during 2021 amounted to 6,239 cases, while the number of recurring cases in consulting clinics reached
46,204 cases.
The report also mentioned that the recurring cases in the medical intervention clinics were 2,311, while the number of cases received by the chemotherapy preparation unit for the hypnosis and external management departments reached 30,443 cases.

The report pointed out that the number of cases in the internal hospital departments 3, 595 cases, while the number of cases received by the radiotherapy department reached 1,518 cases, and the number of examinations conducted for patients in the laboratory section reached 108,580 examinations.

The report indicated that the number of x-rays conducted for patients reached 1,843, television radiology reached 2,479, and 142,824 free prescriptions were dispensed from the center’s pharmacies, while the number of frequent cases at the emergency department reached 38,884, indicating that the total number of deaths in the inpatient and outpatient departments of the center was 234.