Dr. Aisha Mohammed Al-Sakkaf

Dr. Aisha Mohammed Al-Sakkaf is an endocrinologist with over 14 years of clinical experience practicing at Kuwait Hospital in Sanaa — one of Yemen's major public hospitals that has continued providing essential healthcare services despite the severe healthcare system disruption caused by Yemen's ongoing conflict since 2015. Yemen faces an extraordinary humanitarian health crisis: widespread malnutrition, collapse of supply chains for essential medications including insulin and thyroid drugs, and mass displacement have created a severe burden of unmanaged chronic diseases including diabetes. In this context, endocrinologists like Dr. Al-Sakkaf provide critical care for patients with hormonal diseases who face life-threatening risks from medication shortages and disrupted follow-up. She manages diabetes, thyroid disease, and other hormonal conditions with whatever resources are available, often coordinating with international health organizations to obtain essential medications for her patients.

Dr. Al-Sakkaf earned her MBBCh from the Faculty of Medicine at Sana'a University — Yemen's premier national medical institution, which trained the country's core physician workforce. Following her general medical training, she pursued specialty certification through the Arab Board of Medical Specializations in Internal Medicine — the pan-Arab specialty board recognized across Arab League countries — which provides standardized specialty training and examination aligned with international competency standards. She subsequently obtained a Diploma in Diabetes and Endocrinology through the Arab Board Programme, gaining focused training in the evaluation and management of hormonal disorders including diabetes mellitus, thyroid dysfunction, pituitary disorders, and adrenal disease. Her dual certification in internal medicine and endocrinology equips her to manage both acute medical emergencies and complex chronic hormonal conditions in Yemen's resource-constrained setting.

Dr. Al-Sakkaf's endocrinology practice in Yemen reflects the unique disease profile created by conflict and humanitarian crisis. Diabetes management is her primary focus, including management of type 1 and type 2 diabetes under conditions of medication scarcity, where insulin supply chains are frequently disrupted by the conflict. She manages diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) and hyperosmolar hyperglycemic states — life-threatening complications requiring hospital management. Thyroid disorders — including hypothyroidism (where levothyroxine availability is inconsistent) and hyperthyroidism (including Graves' disease management with antithyroid drugs or radioiodine) — represent another major clinical challenge. Malnutrition-related hormonal disruption — including hypothalamic-pituitary axis suppression in severely malnourished children and adults — is a uniquely prevalent clinical problem in Yemen given the humanitarian crisis. She also manages pituitary and adrenal disorders, coordinating complex investigations that may require referral to Amman or Cairo when advanced testing is not available locally.

Yemen is not a safe destination for international medical travel due to the ongoing conflict. Kuwait Hospital in Sanaa continues to provide essential clinical services for the local population and humanitarian workers in Sanaa, but conditions are extremely challenging. International organizations operating in Yemen — including ICRC, MSF, UNFPA, and WHO — coordinate healthcare access for their staff through vetted medical facilities and evacuation protocols. Yemeni patients with complex endocrine conditions often seek care in Jordan (Amman), Egypt (Cairo), or Saudi Arabia through internationally funded medical evacuation programs. For overseas Yemenis seeking endocrinology care, Dr. Al-Sakkaf's clinical experience in managing complex diabetes and thyroid disease under resource constraints may inform telemedicine consultations for patients in the diaspora. She communicates in Arabic and English.

Dr. Al-Sakkaf's Arab Board certifications in Internal Medicine and Endocrinology reflect the highest regional academic medical standards available across the Arab world. Her sustained clinical practice in Sanaa throughout Yemen's humanitarian crisis represents extraordinary professional dedication to her patients under conditions that have forced many of her colleagues to leave the country. International health organizations including WHO and ICRC have recognized the essential role played by Yemeni endocrinologists in managing the diabetes and hormonal disease burden in a population with severely disrupted access to medications and specialist care. Her work demonstrates the critical importance of maintaining trained specialist physicians within conflict-affected health systems.