•  
  •  
 

Abstract

Yemen is noted to have the worst humanitarian crisis in the world. This condition is due to the civil war for the past six years, exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, which emerged as a health security threat. This research aims to analyse the WHO’s role in responding health crisis in Yemen. By using qualitative methods and literature review approach, this article uses Atlas.ti to collect data regarding WHO’s activity in Yemen throughout the pandemic analysed by the international organisation’s role concept according to Clive Archer. The health security concept is also used to explain the health situation in Yemen during the pandemic. This research found accordance between WHO’s activities with Clive Archer’s idea of roles, mainly on its role as an independent actor to combat the health crisis in Yemen. However, the three roles are intertwined. As WHO has emphasised the importance of international aid to overcome Yemen’s health emergency, the writer recommends strengthening global solidarity with Yemen’s authority to improve health within the country.

References

AFP. (2021, June 2). Kuwait reiterates commitment to help Yemen overcome crisis. Kuwait Times. https://news.kuwaittimes.net/website/kuwait-reiterates-commitment-to-help-yemen-overcome-crisis/

Alamsyah, M. S., Alfian, M. F., & Darussalam, M. F. (2021). Human Health Threat and Economic Vulnerability: A Case Study on the COVID-19 Pandemic. Global: Jurnal Politik Internasional, 23(1), 130-152. doi:10.7454/global.v23i1.515

Alrubaiee, G. G., Al-Qalah, T. A., & Al-Aawar, M. S. (2020). Knowledge, attitudes, anxiety, and preventive behaviours towards COVID-19 among health care providers in Yemen: an online cross- sectional survey. BMC Public Health, 20(1541). doi:10.1186/s12889-020-09644-y

Al-Subari, S. M., Saleem, M., Khadka, S., Mahmood, N. M., Alhouzani, T. M., & Shrestha, D. B. (2020). COVID-19 Pandemic in Yemen. Journal of Karnali Academy of Health Sciences, 3(2), 159-163. doi:10.3126/jkahs.v3i2.31383

Archer, C. (2001). International Organizations (3 ed.). Routledge.

Azis, A. (2004). Menelaah Konsep Human Security: Studi Kasus Penanganan Masalah Pengungsi Afganistan di Australia (1999-2002). Global: Jurnal Politik Internasional, 7(1), 80-105. doi:https://doi.org/10.7454/global.v7i1.235

Barkin, J. S. (2013). International Organization: Theories and Institutions (2 ed.). Palgrave Macmillan.

Barrington, L., & Ghobari, M. (2021, February 5). Yemen to get first COVID-19 shots by March through COVAX, Saudi could pay for others. Reuters. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-yemen-idUSKBN2A511G

Besson, E. S., Norris, A., Ghouth, A. S., Freemantle, T., Alhaffar, M., Vazquez, Y., . . . Checci, F. (2021). Excess mortality during the COVID-19 pandemic: a geospatial and statistical analysis in Aden governorate, Yemen. BMJ Global Health, 6(3). doi:10.1136/bmjgh-2020-004564

Brown, T. M. (2020). COVID-19, China, the World Health Organization, and the Limits of International Health Diplomacy. AJPH COVID-19, 1123-1172. doi:10.2105/AJPH.2020.305796

Buys, E., & Garwood-Gowers, A. (2018). The (Ir)Relevance of Human Suffering: Humanitarian Intervention and Saudi Arabia’s Operation Decisive Storm in Yemen. Journal of Conflict & Security Law, 1-33. doi:10.1093/jcsl/kry019

Clausen, M.-L. (2019). Justifying Military Intervention: Yemen as a failed state. Third World Quarterly, 1-15. doi:10.1080/01436597.2019.1573141

Dhabaan, G. N., Al-Soneidar, W. A., & Hebshi, N. N. (2020). Challenges to testing COVID-19 in conflict zones: Yemen as an example. Journal of Global Health, 10(1). doi:https://dx.doi.org/10.7189%2Fjogh.10.010375

Dureab, F., Al-Awlaqi, S., & Jahn, A. (2020). COVID-19 in Yemen: preparedness measures in a fragile state. Lancet Public Health, 5, e311. doi:10.1016/S2468-2667(20)30101-8

Explained Desk. (2020, May 21). Explained: The Covid-19 resolution at the World Health Assembly. The Indian Express. https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/world-health-assembly-coronavirus-resolution-explained-6418945/

Fink, M. D. (2017). Naval Blockade and the Humanitarian Crisis in Yemen. Netherland International Law Rev, 64, 291-307. doi:10.1007/s40802-017-0092-3

Flahault, A., et al. (2016). From global health security to global health solidarity, security and sustainability. Bulletion of the World Health Organization, 94(12), 863.

Frieden, T. R., Tappero, J. W., Dowell, S. F., Hien, N. T., Guillaume, F. D., & Aceng, J. R. (2014). Safer countries through global health security. The Lancet, 383, 764-766. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(14)60189-6

Garber, K., Fox, C., Abdalla, M., Tatem, A., Qirbi, N., Lloyd-Braff, L., . . . Hassen, K. (2020). Estimating access to health care in Yemen, a complex humanitarian emergency setting: a descriptive applied geospatial analysis. Lancet Global Health, 8, e1435-43.

Germany Federal Ministry of Health. (2021, January 18). Shaping Global Health Policy. Germany Federal Ministry of Health. https://www.bundesgesundheitsministerium.de/en/international/global-health-policy.html

Gostin, L. O. (2020). COVID-19 Reveals Urgent Need to Strengthen the World Health Organization. JAMA Health Forum, 1(4), e200559. doi:10.1001/jamahealthforum.2020.0559 (Reprin

Hooghe, L., Lenz, T., & Marks, G. (2019). A Theory of International Organization: A Postfunctionalist Theory of Governance (Vol. 4). Oxford University Press. https://books.google.co.id/books?id=NGCpDwAAQBAJ&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=true

International Rescue Committee. (2020). Yemen’s Triple Emergency: COVID-19, Conflict, and a Collapsing International Response. International Rescue Committee.

Jalal, I. (2020, June 30). Yemen’s botched pandemic response and fragile conflict dynamics allow COVID-19 to spread undetected. Middle East Institute. https://www.mei.edu/publications/yemens-botched-pandemic-response-and-fragile-conflict-dynamics-allow-covid-19-spread

Kamradt-Scott, A. (2015). Managing Global Health Security: The World Health Organization and Disease Outbreak Control. Palgrave Macmillan. doi:10.1057/9781137520166

Kiley, S. (2020, June 5). Experts fear Yemen could suffer one of the world’s worst coronavirus outbreaks. CNN. https://edition.cnn.com/2020/06/04/middleeast/yemen-coronavirus-intl/index.html

Kimball, A. M., & Jumaan, A. (2020). Yemen: The challenge of delivering aid in an active conflict zone. Global Security: Health, Science and Policy, 5(1), 65-70. doi:10.1080/23779497.2020.1814162

Kossaify, E. (2020, June 2). $1.35bn raised for Yemen in virtual donors conference hosted by Saudi Arabia, UN. Arab News. https://www.arabnews.com/node/1683686/middle-east

KSRelief. (2021, June 30). Projects and Programs Statistics. Retrieved July 7, 2021, from King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center: https://www.ksrelief.org/Statistics/ProjectStatistics

Kuznetsova, L. (2020). COVID-19: The World Community Expects the World Health Organization to Play a Stronger Leadership and Coordination Role in Pandemics Control. Front. Public Health, 8(470). doi:10.3389/fpubh.2020.00470

Lee, K. (2009). The World Health Organization (WHO). Routledge.

Lenz, T., Bezuijen, J., Hooghe, L., & Marks, G. (2014). Patterns of International Organization: Task Specific vs. General Purpose. Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies.

Lopour, J. (2016). Spotlight on Yemen’s Forgotten War and Humanitarian Disaster: Preventing the next Syrian refugee crisis. CIGI Paper(97).

McInnes, C. (2015). The Many Meanings of Health Security. In S. Rushton, & J. Youde (Ed.), Routledge Handbook of Global Health Security (pp. 7-17). Routledge.

Mousavi, S. M., & Anjomshoa, M. (2020). COVID-19 in Yemen: a crisis within crises. International Journal for Equity in Health, 19(120). doi:10.1186/s12939-020-01231-2

OCHA. (2021a). Humanitarian Response Plan. United Nations. OCHA. United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. https://reliefweb.int/sites/reliefweb.int/files/resources/Final_Yemen_HRP_2021.pdf

OCHA. (2021b). Humanitarian Response Plan: Yemen. OCHA.

OCHA. (2021c). Yemen Humanitarian Needs Overview. OCHA.

OCHA. (2021d, May 8). Yemen Situation Report. OCHA. https://reports.unocha.org/en/country/yemen/

Popp, R. (2015). War in Yemen: Revolution and Saudi Intervention. CSS Analyses in Security Policy(175). doi:https://doi.org/10.3929/ethz-a-010681857

Prince, C., & Santos, R. (2021, 20 April). WHO Holds First Ever Pre-World Health Assembly Session with Civil Society. Health Policy Watch. https://healthpolicy-watch.news/who-holds-first-ever-pre-world-health-assembly-session/

Reinalda, B. (2013). International Organization as a field of research since 1910. In B. Reinalda (Ed.), Routledge Handbook of International Organization (pp. 1-24). Routledge.

Rittberger, V., Zangl, B., Kruck, A., & Dijkstra, H. (2019). International Organization (Vol. 3). Red Globe Press.

Save the Children. (2020, 10 April). First Case of COVID-19 Reported by Authorities in Yemen. Save the Children. https://www.savethechildren.net/news/first-case-covid-19-reported-authorities-yemen

Šehovic, A. (2018). Reimagining State and Human Security Beyond Borders. Palgrave Macmillan.

Slemrod, A., & Parker, B. (2020, May 7). UN cuts extra pay for health workers in Yemen just as COVID-19 hits. The New Humanitarian. https://www.thenewhumanitarian.org/news/2020/05/07/coronavirus-health-yemen-unpaid-world-health-organisation-cuts

Sowers, J., & Weinthal, E. (2021). Humanitarian challenges and the targeting of civilian infrastructure in the Yemen war. International Affairs, 97(1), 157-177. doi:10.1093/ia/iiaa166

Sumi, H. S. (2006, April). Human Security and Health. Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan: https://www.mofa.go.jp/policy/human_secu/article0604.html

Tobing, F. B. (2002). Aktivitas Drug Trafficking sebagai Isu Keamanan yang Mengancam Stabilitas Negara. Global: Jurnal Politik Internasional, 5(1), 75-86. doi:https://doi.org/10.7454/global.v5i1.320

United Nations. (2016). Human Security Handbook. United Nations Trust Fund for Human Security.

Vermonte, P. J. (2003). Isu Terorisme dan Human Security: Implikasi terhadap Studi dan Kebijakan Keamanan. Global: Jurnal Politik Internasional, 5(2), 27-36. doi:https://doi.org/10.7454/global.v5i2.211

WHO. (2020a). COVID-19 Response. Seventy-Third World Health Assembly. WHO.

WHO. (2020b). WHO Director-General’s opening remarks at the media briefing on COVID-19 - 11 March 2020. World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/dg/speeches/detail/who-director-general-s-opening-remarks-at-the-media-briefing-on-covid-19---11-march-2020

WHO. (2020c, June 2). Statement from Dr Mike Ryan, Executive Director, WHO Health Emergencies Programme at the Yemen High-level Pledging Conference. World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/news/item/02-06-2020-statement-from-dr-mike-ryan-executive-director-who-health-emergencies-programme-at-the-yemen-high-level-pledging-conference

WHO. (2021a). COVID-19 Strategic Preparedness and Response Plan. World Health Organization.

WHO. (2021b). Situation Report March 2021: Yemen Update. World Health Organization.

WHO. (2021c, February 6). With the support of Germany, WHO and INTERSOS provide life-saving medical care to children in Ibb governorate. World Health Organization. https://reliefweb.int/report/yemen/support-germany-who-and-intersos-provide-life-saving-medical-care-children-ibb

WHO. (2021d, February 28). Emergency response in Yemen: WHO and the Government of Japan’s fight against high-threat infectious pathogens. World Health Organization. https://reliefweb.int/report/yemen/emergency-response-yemen-who-and-government-japans-fight-against-high-threat-infectious

WHO. (2021e, May 10). WHO Coronavirus (COVID-19) Dashboard. World Health Organization. https://covid19.who.int/

WHO. (2021f, September 17). WHO calls on world leaders at the UN General Assembly to focus on vaccine equity, pandemic preparedness, and getting the SDGs back on track. World Health Organization. who.int/news/item/17-09-2021-who-calls-on-world-leaders-at-the-un-general-assembly-to-focus-on-vaccine-equity-pandemic-preparedness-and-getting-the-sdgs-back-on-track

WHO, & IOM. (2020, May 10). WHO, IOM raise concern over COVID-19 discrimination against migrants in Yemen. Relief Web. https://reliefweb.int/report/yemen/who-iom-raise-concern-over-covid-19-discrimination-against-migrants-yemen

Zawiah, M., Al-Ashwal, F. Y., Saeed, R. M., Kubas, M., Saeed, S., Khan, A. H., . . . Abduljabbar, R. (2020). Assessment of Healthcare System Capabilities and Preparedness in Yemen to Confront the Novel Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) Outbreak: A Perspective of Healthcare Workers. Front Public Health, 8(419). doi:https://dx.doi.org/10.3389%2Ffpubh.2020.00419

Download

Share

COinS