Out of 224 health centers in the Tigray region, only 40 were functional, according to an investigation into allegations of human rights violations during Ethiopia’s war. Facilities have seen significant structural damage from shellings, looting of medicines and equipment, and an absence of medical personnel.
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The investigation was conducted by UN Human Rights and the government’s Ethiopian Human Rights Commission, covering the period of November 2020 through June 2021. During this time, “the population did not have access to health care” in most parts of Tigray, the groups’ report said.
This is one of the only fact-finding missions to access the region, as the government has severely limited and blocked humanitarians, the media, and accountability groups from entering. Even with access, investigators faced restrictions on where they could travel. Because of this, the full extent of damage in the health system is still unknown.
Roadblocks and checkpoints have severed supplies of medicines, including for HIV, high blood pressure, and diabetes. Maternal mortality cases have increased, as mothers delivered from home rather than health facilities. Health workers have been forced to flee.
The health facilities considered to be functional were concentrated in big cities — including Mekele, Shire and Axum — and located on main roads. The report said the damage appeared worst in central Tigray, where “there was no communication with 39 health centres.” Even functional health centers are facing communication disruptions, as well as issues with transportation, electricity, and water.
Conditions have only improved “through concerted efforts from State and humanitarian actors,” which have helped health facilities slowly start operating, the investigation said. This includes the establishment of 65 mobile clinics by UNICEF, Médecins Sans Frontières, GOAL Ethiopia, and the International Committee of the Red Cross. However, the government suspended MSF’s operations earlier this year.
About the author
Sara Jervingsarajerving
Sara Jerving is a Senior Reporter at Devex, where she covers global health. Her work has appeared in The New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, The Wall Street Journal, VICE News, and Bloomberg News among others. Sara holds a master's degree from Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism where she was a Lorana Sullivan fellow. She was a finalist for One World Media's Digital Media Award in 2021; a finalist for the Livingston Award for Young Journalists in 2018; and she was part of a VICE News Tonight on HBO team that received an Emmy nomination in 2018. She received the Philip Greer Memorial Award from Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism in 2014.
