Yemen: First emergency medical supplies arrive

Today urgently needed medical supplies were brought into Yemen by plane by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). Hospitals are running critically low on medical supplies, and they have been struggling to treat the streams of wounded people following intense air strikes and fierce ground fighting across much of Yemen.

“These supplies will mean the difference between life and death for those wounded in this conflict,” said Cedric Schweizer, who leads the ICRC team in Yemen, “it contains sixteen tonnes of emergency assistance which is very needed now in Yemen”.

The plane landed two days after a five-member ICRC surgical team reached the southern port city of Aden, where casualties have been heaviest. They will help the local hospitals that are struggling to cope with the influx of the wounded from street fighting, shelling, tank fire and air strikes. “Now our work will be to distribute this assistance within the country with all the security guarantees,” added Mr Schweizer.

The ICRC is also coordinating activities with the Yemen Red Crescent Society, whose volunteers are working tirelessly to take the wounded to hospital. A second plane, carrying more medical supplies, generators, and emergency sanitation equipment, is also expected to arrive in Sana’a tomorrow.

There have been disturbing accounts of the health care infrastructure in the country damaged as a result of collateral damage. Tragically, two volunteers and one staff member from the Yemen Red Crescent have been killed while evacuating wounded people. Ambulances are being stolen in Aden and health-care workers targeted. The ICRC has reiterated its demand that humanitarian workers be allowed to operate safely.

“All those who are wounded and sick are entitled to treatment, and medical personnel must be allowed to work without fear of becoming a target themselves,” said Mr Schweizer. “We are in contact with all parties here in Yemen involved in the conflict and we got security guarantees to be able to be able to distribute this assistance all over the country”, he added.
  
From its offices in Aden and Taiz in the south, Sa’ada in the north, and its central office in Sana’a, the ICRC has been tackling the worst effects of the fighting by providing first-aid kits and other medical supplies and by supporting efforts to keep hospital power and water systems running.

Shotlist

Location: Sana’a Airport,
Length: 2’15’’
Format: H264 mov HD and SD
Production: Christopher Nicholas
Camera: Abdulrahman Al Ani and Hani Ali
Sound: English  
ICRC ref: AV295N Yemen Assistance
Date: 10.04.15

Copyright: ICRC access all

00:00–00.05 W/S of back of plane and boxes of medical supplies being unloaded at Sana’a International Airport.
00:05-00.08 Sana’a International Airport sign.
00.09-00:13 M/s of boxes of medical supplies being unloaded.
00:14-00.17 C/U boxes being unloaded.
00:18-00:23 C/U Man with ICRC vest.
00:23-00:32 C/U boxes.
00:32-00:36 Boxes being unloaded on to a truck.
00:37-00:46 W/S Airport with Cedric Schweizer in foreground.

00:46-01:14 Soundbite, Cedric Schweizer, Head of Delegation, ICRC Yemen:
“We are very happy today because the first plane that we wanted to arrive in Sana’a has finally arrived after ten days. It contains sixteen tonnes of emergency medical assistance which is very much needed now in Yemen. We expect a second plane to arrive tomorrow hopefully. We have a surgical team that has arrived in Aden. And now our work will be to distribute this assistance within the country, with all the security guarantees.”

01:14-01:19 Men loading boxes from plane on to transporter.
01:19-01:22 Boxes being moved from plane on to conveyor.

01:22-01:25 Soundbite, Cedric Schweizer, Head of Delegation, ICRC Yemen: 
“It’s what we call war wounded kits which will allow us to treat around one thousand war wounded people.”

01:29-01:33 M/S Boxes moving down the conveyor.
01:34-01.39 M/S Loading boxes on to back of trailer
01:39-01:48 Vehicle with trailer with boxes loaded driving away from plane out of frame.

01:46-01:57 Soundbite, Cedric Schweizer, Head of Delegation, ICRC Yemen:
“We are in contact with all parties here in Yemen involved in the conflict and we got security guarantees to be able to be able to distribute this assistance all over the country”.

01:57-2.01 M/S back of plane, boxes being offloaded.
02:01- 02:05 Side shot boxes coming off plane on conveyor.
02:06-02:10 Boxes coming off plane on conveyor different angle.
02:11-02:15 W/S of plane and ICRC staff in foreground.