The conflict that began at the end of 2020 has left more than 20 million people in Ethiopia—5.2 million of whom are in Tigray—in need of humanitarian assistance.
For the past two years, Tigray has been subject to a de facto blockade that has limited the provision of humanitarian aid and the transportation of necessities. The country has little to no access to money, petrol, telephone, or electricity.
Numerous people have been injured in the fighting, and families' lives and means of subsistence have suffered greatly. The demand for humanitarian aid in the country's north has greatly expanded as a result of the conflict's recurring spilling into the nearby districts of Amhara and Afar.
Over 13 million people in Tigray, Amhara, and Afar require aid as the situation of food security and malnutrition has gotten worse. Malaria, measles, acute respiratory tract infections, and other vaccine-preventable diseases are among the diseases that are experiencing an increase in outbreaks, and there is a significant risk of other diseases, like cholera. There are currently about 2.8 million displaced individuals living in cramped conditions with little access to water, sanitary facilities, food, and nourishment.
The healthcare system in Tigray has essentially collapsed as a result of this circumstance. Just one in ten one-year-old children are protected against vaccine-preventable infections that can be fatal if immunization services are not available. Maternal death rates are high throughout the region as a result of the conflict's devastating impact on maternal health care. Medication shortages make it impossible to follow up with HIV and diabetic patients appropriately. Risks are rising even more as a result of healthcare facilities' declining ability to prevent and control infections.
In Tigray, only 3% of medical institutions are operational, which means that the majority cannot provide for the requirements of the populace. Lack of resources for medical personnel is causing a decrease in the treatment of non-communicable diseases, a reduction in maternity and child health services, an increase in complications, and an increase in mortality.
In its capacity as the lead of the Global Health Cluster, WHO is working with 23 partners in Tigray and the surrounding regions to coordinate the provision of emergency medical care to impacted populations and the maintenance of vital services by local healthcare providers. The coordination also aims to strengthen capacities related to disease outbreak prevention, preparedness, and response.
Between January and September 2022, WHO and its partners provided healthcare services to almost 3 million individuals.
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