Violence in northern Ethiopia has pushed the healthcare system to the brink of collapse, according to the World Health Organization. The crisis intensified after a ceasefire between the Ethiopian government and Tigrayan rebels broke down in late September, leading to heavy artillery shelling and drone strikes in the Tigray region.
Emergency Rooms Overwhelmed by War Trauma
At Ayder Referral Hospital in Mekelle, the capital of the Tigray region, medical staff faced an influx of injured patients that overwhelmed available space. A surgeon at the facility, who requested anonymity due to security concerns, described the emergency room as flooded with war trauma patients. He recalled that floors were filled with injured people, leaving no room to walk.
The chaos lasted for nearly a week. During this period, the hospital operated without electricity or cell network connectivity, making it impossible to coordinate with other facilities or track the number of incoming casualties. Doctors treated victims of gunfire, drone attacks, and mortar shells, often without knowing whether the patients were civilians or combatants.
Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the director-general of the World Health Organization and a native of Tigray, stated that the violence is pushing an already fragile health system closer to collapse. He highlighted severe shortages of workers, medicine, and ambulances in the affected regions.
Systemic Attacks on Medical Infrastructure
The current crisis echoes the devastating Tigray war from 2020 to 2022, which killed an estimated 600,000 people and left most health facilities partially functional. A recent report by Physicians for Human Rights documented widespread attacks on healthcare workers and facilities between 2020 and 2024. The data showed that 63% of surveyed health workers reported attacks on ambulances, while 57% witnessed armed takeovers of their clinics.
Lindsey Green, a researcher for Physicians for Human Rights, noted that armed groups have occupied facilities to steal resources or destroy equipment. This pattern of targeting healthcare is considered a war crime and has become a growing concern in conflict zones globally. In 2026 alone, attacks on healthcare facilities in 19 countries resulted in more than 960 deaths.
Compounding the issue are global funding cuts to health initiatives, including the dismantling of USAID in 2025. These financial reductions have limited the ability of international organizations to deliver emergency medical supplies to northern Ethiopia.
Long-Term Consequences for Civilian Health
The impact on civilian health has been severe. A health worker in Tigray reported that over 100 women died in childbirth in the past year due to a lack of medicine, providers, and fuel for ambulances. During the previous conflict, the maternal mortality rate per 100,000 live births increased fivefold, and 83% of clinics were unable to serve pregnant women.
Many doctors have already left the country, further straining the remaining medical capacity. Ayoda Werede, a physician with Health Professionals for Tigray, observed that while the Ethiopian military has not directly targeted health centers in the latest outbreak, other groups have stolen supplies, including medication and equipment. She warned that the healthcare system is already stretched beyond its capacity, leaving injured people with nowhere to turn.
The Ethiopian government has not responded to requests for comment regarding the current situation in the region.
Source: NPR
