Violence in northern Ethiopia pushing health system towards collapse, says WHO
Renewed clashes and drone strikes between northern Tigray rebels and the government in Addis Ababa are pushing Ethiopia’s fragile health system toward collapse, World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus warned on Monday. The escalating hostilities have all but shattered the November 2022 peace agreement between the two groups, stoking fears of wider conflict and cutting off essential care.
Recent violence has inflicted heavy civilian casualties. On Friday, a series of drone strikes struck the Jaari 2 displacement camp in Amhara, killing at least 15 people, including several children. In Rama, situated in neighbouring Tigray, several people were killed while seeking food. While Tedros did not name perpetrators or give full casualty tolls, he warned that escalating drone strikes are exacerbating humanitarian suffering.
Hospitals are contending with critical shortages of medical personnel, pharmaceuticals, and equipment, while ambulance services remain severely restricted. Insecurity is obstructing the delivery of life-saving aid, endangering emergency, maternal, and child healthcare. While the WHO and other United Nations agencies work to deliver supplies, Tedros has appealed for the protection of civilians and unimpeded humanitarian access.
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