Detroit News - Dingell Urges Medical Aid to Fight Yemen's Dengue Fever

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U.S. Rep. Debbie Dingell this week wrote to Secretary of State John Kerry urging U.S. assistance with the public health emergency in Yemen, where an outbreak of dengue fever has infected as many as 3,000 people.

Dingell, whose district includes a large Yemeni-American community, said many constituents are reporting that family members in Yemen suffering from dengue fever have no access to medication, medical care or, in some cases, even clean drinking water.

"U.S. leadership is required to contain this outbreak and ensure that patients receive the treatment they need," Dingell wrote in the letter. "The people of Yemen need assistance now to combat this deadly disease."

The World Health Organization has reported more than 3,000 cases of dengue fever in Yemen, but some other groups' estimates are at least two times those figures, with the greatest concentration of cases in Aden, a city of about 1 million. A growing number of measles cases has also been reported.

A U.N. report this week said 590 have died from the disease.

The dengue virus, transmitted by mosquitoes, is a leading cause of illness and death in the tropics, according to the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention. The CDC says while there's no vaccine or specific medication for treatment of dengue, patients often need fluids, monitoring by a physician and, in the most severe cases, hospitalization.

"A negotiated solution to the ongoing conflict is the best way to address this emerging public health crisis in Yemen," Dingell wrote to Kerry.

"I applaud your efforts in starting a dialogue with the Saudis, the UN, and other relevant parties to find a peaceful solution to this conflict. However, the people of Yemen need assistance now to combat this outbreak of dengue fever."

She asked Kerry for details on whether the State Department plans to ship hydrating fluids or other supplies to Yemen and how much of American assistance to Yemen is dedicated to improving public health.

The United Nations recently reclassified Yemen to the U.N.'s highest level humanitarian crisis -- the same level as crises in South Sudan, Syria and Iraq.

The United States pulled diplomats and security personnel out of Yemen earlier this year as Saudi Arabia ramped up an air campaign targeting Houthi rebels and their allies. The Houthis invaded Yemen's capital last year and forced its president from the country in April.

Since March, more than 3,260 people have died and more than 14,000 have been injured in connection to the ongoing conflict in Yemen, according to the United Nations. An estimated 1.3 million have been displaced.

Stephen O'Brien, emergency relief coordinator for the United Nations, this week noted recent reports of attacks on a kindergarten building housing refugees in Aden, at markets in Lahj, Amran and Hajjah, and the recent attacks on medical facilities.

On the humanitarian side, "much more needs to be done," O'Brien said in a statement. "Without full, immediate and unimpeded access to ports, and sufficient funding, aid agencies cannot provide the critical help that tens of millions of people need."

State Department spokesman John Kirby told reporters this week that the agency continues to urge all Yemeni parties to prioritize reaching an agreement to end fighting and enabling humanitarian aid to reach citizens.

"This ... should be a UN-led process here, and we look forward to a resumption of discussions that can lead to a better outcome," Kirby said, according to a transcript of his remarks.

Dingell has sponsored measures in the House urging the Obama administration to use "all available authorities" to evacuate U.S. citizens and nationals from Yemen with haste.

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