UNITED NATIONS, Oct. 16 (Xinhua) -- Escalating hostilities in Yemen have cut access to Taiz City, preventing women and girls from receiving essential maternal care, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said Friday.
More than 147,000 women and girls of childbearing age in Taiz have been cut off from life-saving care. Only five of the city's 27 emergency maternal and newborn care hospitals are partially functioning, said OCHA, citing the UN Population Fund.
More than 13,000 pregnant women in the city cannot access maternal health services, including 1,500 due to give birth in the next two weeks, with at least 500 of them expected to require emergency obstetric care.
Nearly three-quarters of services that protect women and girls from violence across Taiz governorate have been suspended, including safe spaces and shelters. Dignity kits cannot reach Taiz City, leaving displaced women and girls even more vulnerable to exploitation and violence, OCHA said.
The office reiterated its call on all parties to protect civilians and to allow "safe, rapid and unimpeded" humanitarian access to reach people in need. ■
