TAIZ, Yemen — Jaleelah Abdul Hameed, a woman in her 50s, was hospitalized in critical condition two months ago after her health deteriorated from using herbal remedies for liver cancer. Doctors initially misdiagnosed her illness as a colon ailment, and she took prescribed medication for four months without improvement before seeking alternative care.
Unable to afford treatment abroad, Abdul Hameed turned to a local herbal medicine center. The owner prescribed her a mixture of ground leaves and honey. She used the treatment for six months, convinced by local success stories, but her health worsened considerably.
"It was my mistake from the very beginning," Abdul Hameed said. "I knew deep down that herbal remedies couldn't cure a disease like mine, but I made the wrong choice. Today, I am back on my prescribed treatment and chemotherapy, but in much worse shape."
More than 20 million Yemenis lack access to basic medical care due to years of conflict, severe funding shortages and a collapsed healthcare system. The World Health Organization reports that at least 50 percent of health facilities in the country are entirely non-functional, hindering responses to disease outbreaks.
That reality forces many Yemenis, especially those unable to travel abroad for specialized treatment, to rely on traditional remedies — herbal concoctions and spiritual healing practices such as Ruqyah Shari'ah and cupping therapy.
Raqeeb Sultan, 48, experienced severe stomach pain and was diagnosed with Helicobacter pylori. After eight months of prescribed medication brought no relief, he tried a herbal treatment of plant leaves mixed with honey. Sultan said he felt much better after two months, and his most recent test showed no sign of H. pylori.
Medical experts caution against such practices. Dr. Adel, an internal medicine specialist who requested anonymity, said H. pylori symptoms often fluctuate and test results can vary. He stressed that only qualified doctors can prescribe proper treatment to eradicate infections fully.
Herbal practitioners often lack formal medical training, relying instead on anecdotal evidence and unproven methods. Many patients who depend on these remedies return to hospitals in worse condition, often because they delayed seeking proper medical care or did not follow doctors' instructions.
Spiritual healing centers have proliferated across Yemen. Fatima, a woman in her 60s battling stomach cancer, visited a sheikh for Ruqyah Shari'ah for six months after seeking medical treatment in Taiz and Aden without success. She paid the sheikh 12,000 Yemeni riyals — approximately $7 — per week.
"It was then that I realized the sheikh couldn't actually do anything; he was just trying to make money by reciting the Quran over patients," Fatima said after her condition worsened significantly. She now requires a tumor specialist, a treatment she struggles to access domestically.
Khadijah al-Ghaili, in her 50s, traveled 80 kilometers to a well-known Ruqyah sheikh for shortness of breath and cupping therapy. She chose the alternative due to the high costs of private hospitals, placing deep faith in traditional methods, despite her symptoms persisting after three sessions.
Mohammed Abdulkhaleq, director of health awareness and media at the Taiz health office, said the dire economic situation and high cost of medical care are the primary drivers pushing people toward Ruqyah sheikhs. He said the needy often fall victim to both the collapsed healthcare system and the deception of those who exploit religious practice for profit.
Cancer treatment in Yemen remains critically constrained, with a lack of diagnostic equipment and advanced treatment options. Patients who cannot afford to travel abroad for care often die at home.
