JEDDAH — Saudi Arabia has airlifted critical supplies to Yemen to help the war-torn country combat the coronavirus outbreak. Announcing details of the airlift, the World Health Organisation (WHO) thanked the Kingdom. "Special thanks to Saudi Arabia for airlifting critical WHO supplies to Yemen, including personal protective items for health workers and lab screening tests for Aden and Sanaa. The shipment also includes trauma medicines and supplies to support the ongoing response to the crisis," WHO Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean said in a tweet. The airlift follows a meeting held by the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre (KSRelief) to assess Yemen's health needs to deal with the pandemic. The meeting was attended by Yemeni Health Minister Dr. Nasser Baoum, a representative from Yemen's High Relief Committee and the WHO's representative in the Gulf Cooperation Council along with KSRelief representatives. They discussed KSRelief's ability to help Yemen combat the deadly outbreak by providing medicine, medical devices and equipment, and preventive supplies by land, sea and air. Earlier in the week, the Yemeni government received medical assistance worth $3.5 million from KSRelief, including medications and supplies. Upon receiving the aid, Health Minister Baoum thanked Saudi Arabia for its generous support for the Yemeni government and people, appreciating the efforts of the KSRelief in various relief and development fields.
