Addressing Ethiopia’s humanitarian needs: Urgent action needed to save lives

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Ethiopia is facing one of its most severe humanitarian crises in recent history, with millions of lives at risk due to widespread hunger, disease outbreaks, conflict, and climate-related challenges. As the situation continues to deteriorate, urgent action is needed to prevent further suffering and loss of life.

On April 16, 2024, global leaders and representatives from international organizations, UN agencies, NGOs, and civil society gathered in Geneva, Switzerland, for the High-level Pledging Event for the Humanitarian Situation in Ethiopia. The event aimed to raise funds to support Ethiopia’s urgent humanitarian needs.

Dr. Mike Ryan, WHO Deputy Director-General, highlighted the critical situation in Ethiopia, particularly in regions like Tigray, Amhara, Afar, and Oromia. Widespread hunger, disease outbreaks, and infrastructure degradation due to conflict have left millions of people without access to essential services.

Ethiopia is grappling with multiple deadly outbreaks, including the largest cholera outbreak in its history, a significant increase in malaria cases, and a surge in measles cases. Dr. Kaluwa, Owen Laws, WHO Ethiopia representative, emphasized the critical situation in Ethiopia, where disease outbreaks are occurring in areas with limited access to healthcare, exacerbating the crisis. Despite concerted efforts by WHO and its partners to provide life-saving health services, funding shortfalls loom large, threatening to necessitate a scale-down of operations. With only a fraction of the required funding secured thus far, urgent additional support is imperative to sustain and expand operations and prevent further deterioration of the humanitarian situation. 

Investing in WHO and its health cluster partners is crucial to saving lives in Ethiopia. This includes sending mobile health and nutrition teams to remote areas, providing vaccinations to prevent disease outbreaks, and supporting health facilities in conflict-affected areas.

The High-level Pledging Event resulted in financial announcements totaling $610.1 million to support Ethiopia. However, more support is needed to address the escalating humanitarian crisis and prevent further suffering.

The humanitarian crisis in Ethiopia demands immediate attention and action from the international community. With millions of lives at stake, it is imperative to provide the necessary funding and resources to support life-saving efforts and alleviate the suffering of the Ethiopian people. Time is of the essence, and every contribution can make a difference in saving lives and rebuilding communities ravaged by conflict, hunger, and disease.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of World Health Organization (WHO) – Ethiopia.

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