The cancer treatment centre in Yemen’s city of Taiz faces the risk of suspending its treatment services because of power cuts, as Yemen’s Ministry of Public Health and Population warned on 10 October 2026 that fuel, medicines, intravenous solutions and medical supplies were close to running out in the city’s facilities.
Power cuts threaten cancer treatment
The electricity crisis is threatening the centre’s ability to continue treating cancer patients, as health facilities rely on fuel to operate generators and medical equipment. A field report from inside the centre showed the patients’ suffering and the risks they face as the facility’s ability to ensure the continuity of its services declines.
The Ministry of Health said the continuation of the current situation threatened to halt emergency services, surgical operations, intensive care, kidney dialysis and neonatal incubators, exposing patients, the wounded, pregnant women and newborns to direct danger.
The ministry added that running out of fuel could disrupt electricity generators, ambulances and the cold chains for medicines and vaccines, warning that this could cause serious health complications and preventable deaths. It accused the Houthis of continuing to besiege the city of Taiz and obstructing the delivery of essential supplies, holding them responsible for the health and humanitarian consequences of restrictions imposed on supplies.
Ministry of Health calls for supply routes to be opened
It called for the siege to be lifted and supply routes to be opened immediately, while ensuring safe passage for patients, ambulances, healthcare workers and humanitarian aid. The ministry also urged the United Nations, humanitarian organisations and health-sector partners to act urgently to deliver medicines, intravenous solutions, medical supplies, oxygen and fuel to facilities in Taiz, in coordination with it and the governorate’s health office, prioritising life-saving services and ensuring that health facilities remain operational.
The ministry had warned on 2 October 2026 that health service disruptions were spreading across the western and coastal districts of Taiz governorate. It said only about 20% of health facilities in the districts of Mokha, Dhubab, Al-Wazi'iyah, Maqbana and Mawza were still operating.
According to the ministry’s statement, the Martyr Abdul Aziz Abdulghani Centre and the Saudi Field Hospital had closed, while the Al-Wahjah Health Centre was operating partially, alongside the closure of 18 other health facilities. It added that more than 45 facilities faced the risk of closure or suspension of services because medicines, vaccines, family-planning supplies and therapeutic nutrition materials were running out.
The ministry said 11 health facilities operating in affected areas in the districts of Al-Shamayatayn and Jabal Habashi had stopped working, obstructing patients’ access to care, particularly emergency cases and pregnant women, amid road closures, deteriorating communications and insecurity.
The ministry stressed that protecting patients, facilities and health workers, and ensuring access to medical supplies, were humanitarian obligations that could not be delayed. It warned that a delayed response increased the risk of health services being halted and lives being lost.
