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Tigray’s Health System on the Mend After Devastating Conflict, Reports MSF

Abiy Adi, Ethiopia – The health system in Tigray, a region in northern Ethiopia that has been ravaged by conflict, is showing signs of recovery, according to a recent report by Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF). The report highlights significant progress in the rebuilding of health centers, particularly in the town of Abiy Adi, where MSF’s efforts have been crucial in restoring medical services.

MSF was initially active in Abiy Adi at the onset of the Tigray conflict in late 2021. However, the organization had to suspend its operations after the tragic murder of three of its staff members—Tedros Gebremariam, Maria Hernandez Matas, and Yohannes Halefom—in June 2021. The loss was a devastating blow to the humanitarian community and highlighted the extreme dangers faced by aid workers in conflict zones.

Despite this setback, MSF returned to Abiy Adi in March 2023, determined to help rebuild the town’s health infrastructure. A report released this week shows that Abiy Adi General Hospital has made a remarkable recovery. The hospital, which was once barely functional, has now regained its capacity to provide essential healthcare services. According to MSF, the hospital’s emergency room treated over 15,400 patients between March 2023 and July 2024, and nearly 900 newborns received care in its neonatal intensive care unit during the same period.

Despite this setback, MSF returned to Abiy Adi in March 2023, determined to help rebuild the town’s health infrastructure. A report released this week shows that Abiy Adi General Hospital has made a remarkable recovery. The hospital, which was once barely functional, has now regained its capacity to provide essential healthcare services. According to MSF, the hospital’s emergency room treated over 15,400 patients between March 2023 and July 2024, and nearly 900 newborns received care in its neonatal intensive care unit during the same period.

“We started by supporting the emergency department, then pediatrics, followed by neonatal intensive care and maternity. This was at a time when the hospital didn’t even have gloves, and many people were dying due to lack of medical equipment,” said Mulugeta Abreha, a nursing team supervisor at MSF who worked in Abiy Adi.

The conflict in Tigray left health facilities across the region in a dire state, with shortages of medical supplies, equipment, and healthcare workers. Many health workers were unpaid, and facilities were struggling to cope with the influx of patients. When MSF began supporting Abiy Adi General Hospital in April 2023, the hospital was overwhelmed with mass casualty cases, yet it had only one doctor on staff.

In addition to treating thousands of patients, MSF has been instrumental in rehabilitating critical infrastructure within the hospital. The organization has restored the hospital’s laundry, waste management, and surgical and medical wards, and has donated vital biomedical equipment. These efforts have significantly improved the hospital’s ability to serve the local population.

MSF also addressed the severe shortage of blood supplies in the region, collaborating with Axum Blood Bank on blood donation campaigns. The conflict in Tigray, combined with other ongoing conflicts in Ethiopia, severely disrupted blood collection and distribution efforts. Factors such as a lack of donors, an increase in malaria cases leading to higher rates of anemia, and complications during childbirth have all contributed to the blood shortage crisis.

Ethiopia 2024 © Metasebia Teshome/MSF

The impact of malaria in Ethiopia has been particularly alarming, with the Ministry of Health reporting over 4.2 million cases between January and August 2024, resulting in at least 856 deaths. The surge in malaria cases has placed an additional strain on the already fragile healthcare system, particularly in conflict-affected areas like Tigray.

As MSF hands over its activities at Abiy Adi General Hospital, the organization is shifting its focus to assessing and supporting other health centers across Tigray and beyond. MSF remains committed to providing humanitarian aid in Ethiopia’s conflict-affected regions, including Afar, Oromia, Amhara, Gambella, Southern, and Somali regions.

Ethiopia 2024 © Elias Addis/MSF

MSF, an international humanitarian organization, was founded by journalists and doctors to respond to emergencies such as war, famine, and disease outbreaks. In Ethiopia, MSF’s intervention is crucial, as the public health system struggles to meet the needs of communities in conflict-affected areas.

The progress in Tigray offers a glimmer of hope in a region that has endured immense hardship. However, the path to full recovery remains long, and continued support from organizations like MSF will be essential in rebuilding the region’s health infrastructure and ensuring that its people have access to the care they desperately need.

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Habtamu Alemu

Habtamu Alemu is a seasoned journalist and the editor-in-chief of Ethio Eyewitness News.

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