World
WHO Warns Health System in Northern Ethiopia Near Collapse Amid Renewed Conflict
The World Health Organization’s Director‑General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said that renewed fighting between rebels from the northern Tigray region and the government in Addis Ababa has shattered a 2022 peace deal and is driving Ethiopia’s fragile health system toward collapse. In a statement released on Monday, Tedros noted that the conflict has killed several civilians in recent days and strained medical facilities. He warned that as fighting continues, more people are likely to lose access to essential healthcare, including emergency services, maternal and child care, and treatment for diseases.
At least 15 people, including several children, were killed in a series of drone strikes that hit a camp for displaced civilians in Ethiopia’s Amhara region on Friday, according to sources involved in a rescue operation that told Reuters. Tedros confirmed that children were among those reported killed at the Jaari 2 displacement camp in Amhara. In Rama, a neighbouring area in Tigray, several people were killed while seeking food.
Tedros did not provide an overall casualty toll from the attacks or identify the perpetrators, but he said that drone attacks and civilian casualties were becoming more frequent across Ethiopia, worsening public health and humanitarian conditions. He added that hospitals face shortages of health workers, medicines and equipment, ambulance services are severely limited, and insecurity is obstructing the delivery of life‑saving medical supplies to some areas.
The WHO and other United Nations agencies are working to deliver additional supplies, Tedros said, calling for civilians to be protected and for health workers and products to be allowed to reach those in need. The renewed fighting has all but shattered the November 2022 peace agreement between the two groups, raising fears of a wider conflict.
Frequently asked questions
How many people were killed in the drone strikes at the Jaari 2 displacement camp?
At least 15 people, including several children, were killed in a series of drone strikes that hit the Jaari 2 displacement camp in Amhara on Friday.
What are the main challenges facing Ethiopia's health system amid the conflict?
Hospitals are facing shortages of health workers, medicines and equipment; ambulance services are severely limited; and insecurity is obstructing the delivery of life‑saving medical supplies.
What actions has the WHO taken in response to the conflict?
The WHO and other United Nations agencies are working to deliver additional supplies, and Tedros has called for civilians to be protected and for health workers and products to be allowed to reach those in need.