For the past 10 years, Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders (MSF) has been providing lifesaving surgical care at Al Qaeda General Hospital in the Dhi AsSufal district of Yemen’s Ibb governorate, responding to critical gaps in access to healthcare in a context of ongoing conflict and a severely weakened health system.
MSF began working at Al-Qaeda General Hospital in 2016 to manage severe trauma caused by conflict, accidents and natural disasters, at a time when access to surgical services was extremely limited for much of the community. Ten years later, the needs remain significant. Declining living conditions, repeated crises and the cumulative impact of years of conflict continue to limit people’s ability to reach timely and quality care, particularly for life‑threatening injuries that require specialised surgical intervention.
Over the past decade, the hospital has become a key referral point for surgical care in Ibb governorate. MSF teams have provided more than 182,000 emergency room consultations, supported nearly 13,000 admissions to the intensive care unit, and carried out almost 33,000 surgical interventions. These figures illustrate both the scale of medical needs and the sustained demand for emergency and specialised surgical services in the area.
As medical needs have evolved, so has the hospital. Initially focused on emergency trauma care, the hospital has expanded its activities to include elective orthopaedic surgery, reconstructive procedures and burn care. MSF provides comprehensive medical services, including physiotherapy and mental health support, to help patients regain independence after serious injury. This evolution reflects MSF’s efforts to adapt its medical response to the changing realities faced by patients in Ibb governorate.
In parallel, MSF continues to support access to healthcare for local communities and displaced people through three primary healthcare centres in Ibb governorate. Over the last decade, MSF teams have supported more than 52,000 inpatient admissions, including nearly 14,000 paediatric admissions, highlighting the continued pressure on health facilities and the limited availability of comprehensive care for vulnerable communities.
With declining international attention and a reduced humanitarian presence, the scale of the needs has only multiplied for vulnerable communities.
MSF remains committed to providing independent and impartial medical assistance in Ibb governorate and across Yemen, while continuing to speak out about the needs of people affected by this long-running crisis and the importance of sustained international support.
