In Yemen, patients are turning to herbal remedies due to the collapse of the healthcare system
In Yemen, people who lack access to basic medical care or cannot afford treatment abroad turn to herbal remedies and honey. According to the World Health Organization, more than 20 million Yemenis lack access to basic medical care due to years of conflict, a significant funding shortfall, and the collapse of the healthcare system, Al Jazeera English reports.
At least half of the country’s medical facilities are completely out of service, making it difficult to respond to recurring outbreaks of cholera and diphtheria. Under these conditions, shops selling honey and medicinal herbs have become common places where people are offered remedies for various ailments—from headaches to cancer and chronic diseases.
Jalila Abdul Hamid, a resident of Taiz, said that after an initial diagnosis of an intestinal disease, she was later found to have liver cancer. According to her, the prescribed treatment did not improve her condition, and she could not afford to travel abroad. For six months, she took a mixture of crushed leaves and honey, the exact composition of which she was not told. She said her condition had significantly worsened, and she was hospitalized again two months ago. She has now resumed her prescribed treatment and chemotherapy, but her condition has deteriorated.
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Another patient, 48-year-old Rakib Sultan, said that after eight months of treatment for a Helicobacter pylori infection, his stomach pain had not gone away. On a friend’s recommendation, he took a herbal mixture with honey for two months and reported feeling better. His latest test showed no signs of H. pylori.
Adel, an internal medicine specialist who asked to be identified only by his first name, noted that H. pylori symptoms can come and go, and test results can fluctuate. According to him, herbalists lack formal medical training and may use temporary relief of symptoms to advertise their services.
One of the herbalists in Taiz, who identified himself as Ali, said he learned the trade from experienced practitioners in the Hodeidah governorate. He acknowledged that he works without an official license or regulatory oversight, but considers a license unnecessary since he sells natural herbs. A representative of the Taiz Health Department reported that complaints about such shops are forwarded to law enforcement agencies, since they do not formally provide medical services.
