Yemen: Supporting Malnourished Children Through Physiotherapy

For more than a decade, the armed conflict in Yemen has deeply disrupted the lives of its people. This prolonged war has weakened infrastructure, limited access to essential resources, and worsened poverty, leading to a major humanitarian crisis. Today, 2.2 million children suffer from acute malnutrition, which causes serious medical complications such as neuromotor delays and orthopedic impairments. These conditions can have long-lasting effects on their development and quality of life. 

Early intervention, especially through pediatric physiotherapy, is crucial to reduce these impacts and promote better functional recovery. Regular support that also involves families helps optimize therapeutic outcomes and supports the child’s overall development. 

Since 2023, the MSF Foundation has implemented this program within the MSF project at Haydan Hospital, where two physiotherapists work daily with malnourished children. In 2025, Wissal, a pediatric physiotherapist, carried out a follow-up mission to support and strengthen this initiative. 

Read her testimony, which highlights the challenges of providing specialized care amid a major humanitarian crisis.