Ethiopia is facing a lot right now, such as poverty of fuel, cash and relief commodities- including medical equipment and supplies- continue to severely limit the humanitarian response in northern Ethiopia’s Tigray region.
Since mid-December, humanitarian supplies have not reached Tigray by road due to continuous fighting in the only corridor via Afar.
The UN Air Service (UNHAS) services run twice a week to ease the movement of staff, cash, and cargo into the region. However, it remains insufficient to mobilize the supplies for 5.2 million people in need of humanitarian assistance.
In Amhara and Afar regions, reported hostilities in some areas along the border with Tigray continue to hamper aid delivery to accessible conflict-affected areas.
In between the three regions, more than 2.1 million people are displaced as per the estimation, and as an outcome, 9.4 million people right now need humanitarian assistance.
As per the new food security assessment, which was held by the WFP that 40 percent of Tigrayans are suffering from the extreme poverty of food with more than 14 percent of children under five and in which almost every 3rd women are pregnant or breastfeeding women malnourished.
In Amhara and Afar regions, the conflict-driven displacement is pushing malnutrition rates up, with children and pregnant and lactating women particularly impacted by hunger because they also have to feed their children.
Main people are suffering, especially those who are in maternal condition or have newborn babies and suffered from serious setbacks in conflict-affected die to a critical shortage of skilled healthcare providers, medical supplies and damage to health infrastructure, leading to a phenomenal increase in maternal and newborn mortality and morbidity.
Since July 2021, UNFPA sexual and reproductive health kits have not entered the Tigray region, with some emergency obstetric procedures such as C-sections being the edge of suspension, as reported by UNFPA-supported health partners.
Across Afar, Amhara and Tigray regions, many women and girls, men and boys, have endured sexual and gender-based violence during the conflict, although women and girls have been disproportionately affected.
Health facilities have recorded many cases of sexual violence-related complications, including injuries unwanted pregnancies, while other cases were diagnosed with cases of HIV/AIDS.
