Yemen loses a billion dollars annually on treatment abroad

Yemeni Minister of Health Dr. Ahmed al-Ansi Yemeni Minister of Health Dr. Ahmed al-Ansi has revealed that the country spends one billion dollars annually on medical treatment abroad. This news comes just as the Yemeni government signed an agreement that French donors will pay for the treatment of those injured in clashes at protests during the past year. Those affected will be treated in Jordanian hospitals.
A meeting was held on Monday by the Minister of Health in the Yemeni capital Sanaa, with representatives of medical facilities owned by the private sector. Al-Ansi discussed the partnership between the Ministry of Health and the private sector. Government medical services in Yemen are under great pressure, which has led thousands of Yemenis to searches for treatment outside the country.
Al-Ansi revealed during the meeting that Yemen spends 900 million U.S. dollars annually on medical costs abroad. He stressed that health insurance will create better opportunities for treatment inside Yemen rather than outside. Government efforts to activate the law for health insurance this year are expected to significantly reduce the suffering of Yemeni patients who cannot afford to pay the cost of treatment abroad. Al-Ansi also pointed to the willingness of the European Union and the World Health Organization to assist in providing technical consultancy in the field, in order to facilitate the advancement of medical facilities.