The Minister of Public Health and Population of the Houthi salvation Government (Ansar Allah), Dr. Taha Al-Mutawakkil, admitted that the community’s health quarantine center in Al-Bayda Governorate, north of Yemen, was not eligible.
The Minister of Health in the Houthi government told the Yemeni parliament in Sana'a on Saturday, "We, as government and officials, must deal with transparency because if the epidemic spreads in Yemen, the situation will be catastrophic in a very large rate because of the scarcity of possibilities."
Al-Mutawakkil stated that his ministry has issued an invitation to the Ministry of Public Health in the Yemeni internationally recognized government, "to work together and unite efforts. The epidemic does not know this north or this south because it afflicts everyone and we have not received a response so far."
"The Afar crossing is not a quarantine, because there are more than 2000 people gathered in one place and mixed together, and if there is only one person injured, a catastrophe will occur."
He pointed out that a quarantine is being prepared for returnees from outside Yemen in accordance with health requirements, but he said that "this is greater than the ability of the state and we will do our duty, but we also invite all organizations and private and public sectors to extend a helping hand to work together."
Regarding the capabilities of Yemen to cope with the spread of the virus, the Minister of Health explained that "the PCR devices designated to examine the coronavirus in Aden are almost inoperative, and investigations of suspected cases are sent to Sana'a, and that the device in Sanaa is inaccurate and the percentage of results in it reaches 70%."
He added, "We asked the world health to quickly provide two machines for Aden and two machines for Sana'a," pointing to the availability of about 3400 tests in Sana'a currently, and in Aden about 3200 tests.
The Minister of Health in the Houthi government added, "We are working on providing more than ten thousand checks in cooperation with some merchants, and it has not been possible to enter them so far due to the closed airports," he said.
He stated that Yemen has 400 respiratory devices and that his government is working to operate a number of oxygen supply and to produce, repair and maintain respiratory devices to provide the largest number of devices to counter the Coronavirus.
Al-Mutawakkil reviewed the efforts being made in preparation for the spread of the virus, noting that the supplies are aimed at accommodating hundreds of thousands of infected people if the virus spreads.
He pointed out that his ministry is working with all Yemeni expertise all over the world to take advantage of the experiences of those countries in the face of the Coronavirus.
Yemen had not reported any infected cases of new Coronavirus "Covid 19" as of Sunday evening, according to the World Health Organization.
