MSF official visits Ireland to raise awareness on Yemen

By Liz Dunphy

The Director of Programmes with aid agency Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) is visiting Ireland to raise awareness about the escalating conflict in Yemen.

André Heller Perache has worked extensively with MSF in Yemen and he described the current situation as "beyond the ability of the international aid system to cope with."

"There is a constant weight everywhere with everybody, there is a malaise that permeates every corner of the country right now," he said.

Residential areas have been destroyed by relentless airstrikes and hospitals have been hit by shelling.

A trade embargo, fuel shortages and water insecurity are causing additional crises in the country.

Due to issues of access, media coverage from Yemen is rare, particularly eyewitness accounts from the field. MSF is the only NGO still operating inside Yemen.

Since March, MSF teams have treated over 4,000 patients bringing over 105 tonnes of medical aid.

MSF is currently working with emergency surgical response teams in Sana’a, Aden, Ad-Dhale, Amran and Hajjah governorates in Yemen.