• Italian Medical Aid for Stranded Migrants Arrives in Haradh, Yemen

• IOM Distributes Aid to Growing Numbers of Syrian Refugees in Northern Iraq

1. Italian Medical Aid for Stranded Migrants Arrives in Haradh, Yemen – IOM in Haradh on the Yemen - Saudi Arabia border yesterday took delivery of a consignment of essential medicines and medical supplies donated by the Italian government aid agency - Cooperazione Italiana.

The consignment was part of a 35-tonne Italian donation of medicine, high energy biscuits and blankets destined for conflict-displaced people and stranded migrants in Yemen, which included three supplementary health kits - each designed to treat a population of 10,000 people for three months.

IOM is working closely with Yemen's Ministry of Health and Executive Unit for Internally Displaced Persons to distribute part of the aid in Haradh, Abyan and Al-Jawf governorates.

The Haradh delivery came at a critical time when some 3,000 migrants, mainly from the Horn of Africa and stranded en route to Saudi Arabia, are struggling with an outbreak of dengue hemorrhagic fever spread by mosquitoes in the town and its surroundings.

The outbreak has spread due to lack of shelter and mosquito nets, and malnutrition among the migrants, which weakens their immune systems.

IOM's Haradh clinic and partner hospitals have treated 76 people for the disease since the beginning of April, two of whom subsequently died from dengue shock syndrome.

IOM is working closely with the Ministry of Public Health and the WHO in Haradh to contain the outbreak.

IOM Haradh has also received its first referral of land mine injuries among migrants. Three people tried to enter Saudi Arabia through Sa'ada governorate, which is littered with land mines as a result of fighting between the Houthi clan and government forces. Two of the three were severely injured and all three are currently being treated by MSF.

In March IOM was forced to suspend its assisted voluntary return programme for stranded migrants in Haradh due to lack of funding. The project helped over 6,000 stranded Ethiopian migrants to fly home.

For more information please contact Dr Teresa Zakaria at IOM Yemen, Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , Tel. +967-736700311.

2. IOM Distributes Aid to Growing Numbers of Syrian Refugees in Northern Iraq - IOM, in cooperation with UNHCR, has distributed emergency non-food relief items (NFIs) to 98 newly-arrived Syrian families in the Domiz refugee camp in the Northern Iraqi governorate of Dahuk.

The distribution, the fourth in the past month, included pillows, blankets, water filters, stoves, gas cylinders, rechargeable fans and lights, mats and plastic storage boxes provided by IOM, and mattresses, kerosene heaters, jerry cans, plastic sheet, kitchen sets and cleaning kits provided by UNHCR.

IOM has now provided NFIs to 1,551 Syrian refugees in Domiz camp, at the request of the Dahuk Government Emergency Cell and the Bureau of Migration and Displacement.

Domiz is now home to some 2,835 registered Syrian refugees, over half the estimated 4,200 who have fled the Syrian governorates of Hasaka, Halab, Damascus, and Reef Dimashq and sought refuge in Dahuk. Most of the refugees outside the camp are staying with host families or in local mosques.

IOM is monitoring the needs and concerns of camp residents and one major issue – access to education for children - has now been addressed.

Syrian children aged 6-12 are now allowed to attend primary schools in the area, with the approval of the Dahuk authorities. But transport to local primary schools and overcrowding in Arabic-language schools remains a problem.

The Dahuk Bureau of Migration and Displacement believes that up to 7,000 more refugees may seek shelter in Domiz over the next month and IOM Iraq is urgently seeking funding from the international community to provide ongoing assistance.

For more information, please contact Lado Gvilava at IOM Iraq. Tel: +962 795 409 624. Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .