Responding to the Humanitarian Crisis in Tigray, Ethiopia
by International Medical Corps
Nearly one year into the conflict between the Ethiopian National Defense Force (ENDF) and the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF), the security situation in northern Ethiopia continues to deteriorate. Since the withdrawal of the ENDF from Tigray in June 2021, the conflict has expanded to five zones in the Amhara region (North Gondar, South Gondar, Wag Hemra, North Wollo and South Wollo) and two zones in Afar (Zone 1 and Zone 4). This expansion of fighting has created an 1.2 million Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) and rendered nearly 1,500 health facilities nonfunctional in these regions. Health facilities continue to be destroyed and looted of medical equipment and supplies. With the recent increase in violence, we can expect these numbers to increase over the coming days.
The emergency response effort in Tigray continues to be hampered by the disruption and suspension of electricity, telephone and internet networks, banking services and fuel shortages, as well as logistical challenges in transporting critically needed supplies, including essential drugs. As a result, medical supplies are in extremely short supply in Tigray.
In Ethiopia, International Medical Corps is providing vital humanitarian services, including nutrition, health, gender-based violence (GBV) and mental health & psychosocial support to IDPs in the Afar, Amhara and Tigray regions. We are currently providing outpatient consultations, nutrition screenings, perinatal consultations, family-planning services and health education. Additionally, International Medical Corps also has been providing WASH services in Axum, Shiraro and Shire woredas. Our teams continue to reach thousands of people through hygiene-promotion activities, covering handwashing, proper use of latrines, safe household-water handling and COVID-19 prevention.
Your gift today will ensure help International Medical Corps address the medical needs in Ethiopia. Thank you for your support, and please reach out if you have any questions.
*Note for recurring donations: Once we have determined that the community can continue to respond to the after-effects of this emergency without us, we will scale back our response efforts. At that time, we will redirect your future donations to where it is needed most to help us respond to future outbreaks of conflict, disease or disaster.
