Cancer Healthcare Services in Yemen and Societal Perception

Yasmine Abdulhafeez – Sawt Al-Amal (Voice of Hope)

Malak quickly arranged medical tests for her mother after discovering a small lump in her neck with colored discharge. Upon learning it was malignant, she started treatment to eliminate the disease before it spread.

Malak lives in Al-Hali District in Al-Hudaida City with her mother and siblings. During treatment, she faced difficulties traveling between Al-Hudaida and Sana’a, as all treatment procedures were in Sana’a. Even the sample taken from her mother was sent there for testing, with the family waiting over 25 days for the results.

Malak wonders, “Why aren’t healthcare services for cancer patients available at least in the main city capitals, let alone in districts and rural areas?”

Malak’s question reflects the real suffering faced by many cancer patients and their families in Yemen. Oncology centers are limited to major cities like Sana’a, forcing patients to travel long distances and bear high costs. The lack of comprehensive healthcare services in all city capitals, let alone districts and rural areas, means many are deprived of quick access to necessary care, leading to increased treatment costs due to travel and accommodation expenses in cities with such services.

Malak’s mother’s case exemplifies this suffering; her treatment cost exceeded 1.5 million Yemeni rials in two months—a large sum increasing the family’s burden. If healthcare services were available in her city, the costs would have been significantly lower, sparing the patient the arduous travel that exacerbates their physical and mental suffering.

The suffering of cancer patients in Yemen is compounded by the insufficient availability of treatment centers in all major city capitals. Their limited presence in specific areas is a source of disappointment for many Yemenis. Traveling to cities with these centers requires significant financial and physical effort, especially with the need to use alternative routes due to the closure of some main roads because of the conflict, further hindering access to healthcare.

In addition to internal challenges, patients face another shock when they discover that the healthcare services available in Yemen’s oncology centers may be inadequate. Many have to travel abroad for treatment, a possibility only for those who can afford it. The poor face worsening conditions without the means to travel, forcing them to seek aid from charities or individuals to cover treatment costs abroad—a daily struggle that exhausts them physically and mentally.

Cancer Healthcare Services

The dire health situation in Yemen, particularly concerning cancer patients, presents a significant challenge for patients and their families, especially with rising drug costs and a severe shortage of resources. Given the poverty affecting millions of Yemenis, exacerbated by the conflict, providing medication and treatment for cancer patients has become a heavy burden many cannot bear.

“Voice of Hope” newspaper addressed this issue through interviews with healthcare professionals and cancer patients about the reality of healthcare services provided to cancer patients in Yemen and the challenges they face.

Among them is Yahya Hajir, the director of the oncology unit at Marib Hospital, who confirmed that conflicts and economic deterioration directly impacted the healthcare sector and, in particular, the lives of cancer and kidney failure patients.

Hajir mentions that the main challenges in providing healthcare services for cancer patients include the high cost of living and currency collapse, leading to deteriorating quality and difficulty accessing medical services. He also pointed out the shortage of specialized medical staff, as many oncologists have left the country due to the current situation. Patients’ suffering has increased due to the closure of main roads and large discrepancies in the Yemeni rial exchange rate between governorates, leading to increased costs and difficulty accessing necessary healthcare, along with the unavailability of some cancer medications.

Hajir also mentioned the lengthy and complex procedures required by some institutions to access healthcare services for cancer patients. This is among the significant obstacles hindering the provision of quick and effective care.

He added that the few specialized cancer treatment centers, the lack of financial support for most hospitals, the absence of coordination between hospitals and oncology centers, and the lack of local or regional medical conferences in oncology to follow developments in cancer medicine contribute to the worsening crisis. Poor health awareness among some patients also leads to neglecting essential periodic appointments for treatment and follow-up and receiving medical services at scheduled appointments.

Cancer Patients Face Serious Challenges

Dr. Hayat Al-Shamiri, an internist, describes the reality of healthcare services provided to cancer patients in Yemen as more complex than those for other sectors.

She points out that cancer patients face significant challenges due to their need for specialized care and expensive medications. Their suffering is compounded by the need for early detection, often unavailable, and the high cost of necessary tests, which must be repeated regularly to monitor disease progression and the body’s response to treatment.

Healthcare for cancer patients is limited to specific hospitals, making access difficult. Challenges also include the difficulty of providing all types of treatment, such as chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and surgery, in addition to weak medical and psychological follow-up for patients and a lack of sufficient financial support after they experience physical disability.

The large number of patients puts immense pressure on available medical facilities and equipment; most equipment is old and requires constant maintenance, and beds in specialized centers are few and do not meet the growing needs. There are difficulties in providing medications that require specific transport and storage conditions and come at high costs. The health insurance system is very weak, if it exists at all, along with a shortage of specialized personnel in diagnosis and treatment.

Marwa Al-Ariqi, a health activist, confirms the difficult health situation for cancer patients in Yemen due to a lack of technical and financial resources. She mentions that the gamma camera at Al-Thawra Hospital in Sana’a, used to detect cancerous cells in a patient’s body, is inoperable due to a lack of the necessary uranium. With the difficulty of importing this material into Yemen due to the conflict, many patients are forced to travel abroad for the necessary tests, placing an additional burden on them. She also points to the significant financial challenges faced by cancer patients; treatment costs are high, and while some medications are provided free of charge, others require significant costs, burdening families financially.

She adds that proper nutrition, including fresh fruits, vegetables, and various meats, is an essential part of a cancer patient’s regimen, but providing this food daily represents an additional burden, especially for low-income families.

She also addresses the psychological impact faced by cancer patients; they suffer great fear of the disease and the difficulty of treatment, negatively affecting their immunity and ability to tolerate treatment. Therefore, psychological support is a necessity for cancer patients; they need ongoing support sessions to improve their mental state and help them cope with the physical and psychological challenges resulting from the disease.

Cancer Diagnosis in Yemen

Regarding the importance of cancer diagnosis in Yemen, a Yemeni academic, who preferred not to be named, explained that cancer diagnosis in Yemen is often in advanced stages, especially in women with thyroid, uterine, and breast tumors. Early detection of these tumors is rare, increasing the difficulty and effectiveness of treatment.

The academic believes that the availability of nuclear scanning devices in Yemen would greatly assist in early detection, which could make a significant difference in the chances of recovery. Cancer cases can be classified into degrees; the first-degree cases are simple and can be controlled more easily, while the second-degree cases usually require radiation therapy, or the body may deal with it through the immune system. However, for third and fourth-degree cases, the recovery rate becomes minimal when the disease reaches these advanced stages, even with the use of all treatment methods.

He also pointed out that some countries have moved beyond the use of chemotherapy injections in cancer treatment; they now rely on modern radiation techniques to treat patients. These techniques reflect advancements in cancer treatment that could improve treatment outcomes and reduce side effects, something that deserves attention and development to become available in Yemen.

Najla Yasir, a nurse, describes the health services provided to cancer patients as fragile, forcing many patients to travel abroad for treatment. She points out that some families are forced to sell their possessions to cover the costs of travel, something that could be avoided if the necessary services were available domestically.

She stresses that the availability of these services locally would alleviate the financial and psychological burdens on Yemeni families suffering from difficult economic conditions due to the ongoing conflict. This makes many families unable to afford treatment abroad, especially since millions of Yemenis are suffering from dire economic conditions amid the protracted conflict, now in its tenth year, leaving most unable to afford the costs of treating their relatives abroad.

Ali Al-Khatib, a public relations officer in the health sector, points out that cancer treatment centers in Yemen, located in Sana’a, Taiz, and Aden, are suffering from severe overcrowding due to the influx of patients from all over the country, leading to shortages of free medicines and difficulty in obtaining some necessary tests.

He explained that some equipment necessary for cancer treatment and diagnosis is available, while other equipment is still unavailable in Yemen.

He added that specialized medical personnel in oncology are available, but there is a shortage of radiologists, affecting the speed and accuracy of diagnosis. Many advanced medical devices have not yet reached Yemen, increasing the challenges of providing comprehensive healthcare to cancer patients.