Sanaa, Feb 28 (IANS): The World Health Organization (WHO) has appealed for $392 million in donation to provide essential health support to 12.9 million Yemenis in 2023.

"Yemen requires urgent and robust support from international donors and other partners to effectively avert the potential collapse of its health system," a WHO statement quoted Adham Abdel Moneim Ismail, WHO Representative in Yemen, as saying on Sunday.

The appeal was made on the eve of a high-level pledging event for the humanitarian crisis in Yemen, a UN-led fund-raising activity held on Monday in Geneva, Switzerland, Xinhua news agency reported.

"New funding in the amount of $392 million is required by Yemen's health sector to ensure that overstretched health facilities can continue providing even the most basic services to 12.9 million vulnerable people," the WHO representative said, adding that the current funds pledged to the WHO-led Health Cluster equals only 3.5 per cent of the required amount.

According to the statement, 10 million Yemenis, including 7.9 million children, have no access to health services. Around 1.1 million children in Yemen suffer from acute malnutrition and 2.9 million women of reproductive age lack maternal services.

Yemen has been mired in a civil war since late 2014 when the Iran-backed Houthi militia seized control of several northern provinces and forced the Saudi-backed Yemeni government out of the capital Sanaa.

The war has killed tens of thousands of people, displaced 4 million and pushed the country to the brink of starvation.