Ethiopia: First aid consignments started to trickle into Tigray

Addis Ababa - Two trucks full of vital medical supplies arrived in Mekelle on Tuesday in the first aid delivery since fighting resumed last August and the Pretoria and Nairobi agreements were signed. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) delivered medicines destined for medical facilities’ most urgent cases.

“It is an enormous relief for us to deliver this cargo. The healthcare system in the region is under extreme pressure and these deliveries are a lifeline for people who need medical help,” said Nicolas Von Arx, ICRC’s head of delegation in Ethiopia. “We appreciate the efforts undertaken by the parties to facilitate delivery of humanitarian aid, as people have endured tremendous suffering during the two-year conflict.”

The trucks have delivered forty tons of essential medical items, emergency medicines, and surgical equipment to help cover the immediate needs of thousands of people in the region.

While some health facilities in Tigray no longer function, those that remain open lack basic medicines, equipment, and other essential supplies. With the ongoing support of the parties, the ICRC hopes to continue these deliveries on a regular basis and significantly scale up its humanitarian response.

Since the resumption of hostilities in northern Ethiopia in August, the ICRC and the Ethiopian Red Cross Society (ERCS) have been providing emergency assistance in the most affected areas of Tigray, Amhara, and Afar. This assistance includes delivering food, essential household items, and medical supplies such as war-wounded kits, medicines, medical equipment, and first-aid supplies for ambulance services, as well as improving access to water and sanitation.