The Donald Trump administration is expected to provide slightly more COVID-19 relief to Yemen after cutting $73 million in humanitarian aid for the war-torn country last month. But Washington has yet to spell out its game plan for ensuring that assistance reaches the majority of the Yemeni population given Trump’s recent decision to end funding for the World Health Organization (WHO) and the US refusal to administer assistance in Houthi-controlled territory.

“The United States is carefully monitoring the situation in close coordination with Yemeni health officials, the United Nations and other donors,” a State Department spokesperson told Al-Monitor. “We are working with our partners to adapt existing programs, as necessary, to address additional needs and are determining how we can most effectively and responsibly provide additional support for COVID-19 preparedness and response efforts.”

Last week, the State Department announced an additional $500,000 in coronavirus-related aid for Yemen — a mere 1% of the $40 million in stabilization assistance Congress appropriated for Yemenis this year. But a senior State Department official told Reuters this week that the United States is preparing a “substantial contribution” to help Yemen fight the pandemic.

While there has only been one confirmed coronavirus case in Yemen so far, public health experts fear that the lack of testing and the country’s crumbling health infrastructure, coupled with a significantly immunosuppressed and malnourished population, is a recipe for disaster.