Cholera outbreak in Yemen
11.10.2017
Question for written answer E-006362-17
to the Commission
Rule 130
Elena Valenciano (S&D)
According to the WHO, 753 098 cases of cholera were recorded in Yemen from April to September 2017, including 2 122 deaths. This outbreak is about to become the largest ever recorded anywhere in the world. Although the rate of infection has slowed slightly, the disease is continuing to spread and there are expected to be a million cases by November.
Cholera is wreaking havoc among a population already crippled by two and a half years of warfare. Seven million people are on the brink of famine and more than twenty million are in need of humanitarian aid. Yemen is regarded as the world’s worst major crisis, yet in spite of this it receives scant attention from both politicians and the media.
In June 2017, the Commission announced it would contribute an additional EUR 5 million to the EU’s aid efforts to tackle cholera in Yemen, bringing the total figure to EUR 8.8 million.
In light of the continuing deterioration of the situation:
- 1.Is the Commission planning to adopt new support measures aimed at preventing and combating the spread of cholera and alleviating its effects?
- 2.What are the major obstacles to making humanitarian action more effective and how does the Commission intend to overcome them?