In the heart of Yemen, a humanitarian catastrophe is unfolding as the Houthi group systematically denies life-saving dialysis to kidney failure patients in Ibb Governorate.

On a bitterly cold Ramadan night, 35-year-old Mahmoud Saleh left his home in Ba’dan district, carrying his young son in his arms. The child, suffering from kidney failure, needed urgent dialysis at a private health center in Ibb—an option Mahmoud could barely afford.

Until recently, Mahmoud had taken his son to the government-run dialysis center at Revolution Hospital. But its closure due to neglect has left patients scrambling for alternatives.

“This Ramadan has turned into a month of pain and helplessness,” Mahmoud told Barran Press, his voice heavy with despair. “Before, my son received free dialysis at the government hospital. Now, even a single session at a private hospital is beyond my means.”

Subjugation Tool

Mahmoud’s ordeal is not unique. Hundreds of patients are trapped in a crumbling healthcare system that the Houthis have turned into a tool of political and financial extortion.

Medical sources told Barran Press that the Houthis have ignored repeated pleas to rehabilitate the dialysis center at Revolution Hospital, seemingly using patients’ suffering as leverage, treating them as “hostages.”

This neglect has left patients facing a cruel choice: succumb to their illness or drown in debt trying to afford private treatment.

Death Sentence

The “Rasd” Organization for Rights and Freedoms condemned the continued closure of the dialysis center, calling it a “premeditated death sentence.” In a February statement, Rasd accused the Houthis of depriving kidney failure patients of life-saving treatment and turning their suffering into a bargaining chip.

According to Rasd, the Houthis dismissed hospital employees after cutting their salaries, leading to the shutdown of the dialysis station. Among the victims was young Amr Noman Rajeh, who had repeatedly pleaded with the Houthis to reopen the center before his untimely death.

Rasd holds the Houthis directly responsible for what it calls a “systematic crime” and has urged urgent international intervention. The organization also accuses the Houthis of selling dialysis supplies on the black market while patients are left to die.

Systematic Targeting of Medical Staff

Dr. Nizar Abdo, a former employee at the dialysis center, accused the Houthis of deliberately targeting medical professionals.

“By mid-last year, our salaries were completely cut off,” Dr. Nizar told Barran Press. “We had no choice but to leave in search of other livelihoods. The Houthis achieved their goal—driving medical professionals away and leaving patients to their fate.”

Dr. Nizar described a severe shortage of medical supplies and the Houthis’ deliberate delays in delivering essential materials, making treatment nearly impossible.

“The center shut down because we ran out of supplies,” he explained. “Essential medications disappeared, and the dialysis station—which provides sterile water for treatment—completely broke down.”

Overcrowding and Worsening Conditions

Medical sources confirmed that Revolution Hospital houses the only public dialysis center in Ibb Governorate. It also serves patients from neighboring Taiz, Al-Hudaydah, and Dhalea, exacerbating the crisis.

“The shutdown has drastically reduced available dialysis sessions, creating a dangerous backlog of patients,” Dr. Nizar explained. “The center used to provide 70 sessions daily for 755 patients. Now, the burden is overwhelming, and resources are critically scarce.”

Between Pain and Death

In the hospital corridors, 30-year-old Muhammad al-Shuaibi lay weak and exhausted. His pale face and sunken eyes told a grim story of suffering.

“Every day, they tell us the dialysis station will be repaired, but nothing changes,” Muhammad told Barran Press. “The pressure on the center is unbearable. Dialysis sessions are less effective, and contaminated water increases our risk of infection. What was meant to keep us alive has become another ordeal.”

“Coming here feels like a forced march towards pain,” Muhammad said. “We know each session will leave us drained, but we have no other choice. The only alternative is death.”

Fake Promises

In September 2021, the Houthi leadership announced a $350,000 budget for the dialysis center, promising new equipment, medical supplies, and repairs funded by the Zakat Authority. But medical sources say those promises were empty rhetoric.

“Four years have passed, and the Houthis have done nothing,” said Dr. Abduh al-Yousifi. “They can’t even provide insulin, let alone a fully functional dialysis station. Instead, they pour billions into propaganda, posters, and their own lavish celebrations.”

The corruption extends beyond the dialysis center. Medical sources describe widespread looting of Yemen’s health sector in Houthi-controlled areas, where hospitals have been turned into private enterprises. Essential services are deliberately neglected, with patient suffering weaponized for financial extortion.

Urgent Calls for Action

As kidney failure patients in Ibb face a slow and painful death, calls for international intervention grow louder. Rights organizations urge global pressure on the Houthis to reopen the dialysis center and end their exploitation of Yemen’s collapsing healthcare system.

For Mahmoud and countless other desperate families, time is running out. Without immediate action, more lives will be lost to this deliberate and devastating neglect.