Ethiopia: Escalating Northern Ethiopia Conflict Overwhelms Hospitals - MSF Reports

What the report says

Médecins Sans Frontières says renewed fighting in northern Ethiopia is sending large numbers of wounded civilians and combatants to hospitals in Tigray and Amhara, overwhelming facilities and forcing the aid group to scale back some services. The account, reported by The Reporter and distributed by AllAfrica, says MSF expanded emergency response efforts on Sept. 22 as clashes intensified between forces aligned with the Tigray People’s Liberation Front and the Ethiopian National Defence Force.

The strain has been especially severe at MSF-supported hospitals in Korem and Alamata, where casualty numbers rose sharply over a few days, and at Suhul Hospital in Shire, which received hundreds of wounded patients. MSF said the figures cover only people treated at facilities it supports, so they do not reflect the full toll of the violence.

As insecurity worsened, MSF suspended operations at Alamata Hospital and stopped community outreach there, while moving staff to triage and emergency care in overburdened hospitals in Shire, Sheraro and Korem. Maternal and pediatric services are continuing in some sites. The group also said it is preparing for possible displacement needs in Tigray, Amhara and Afar. The latest clashes come as concern grows that the fighting could further weaken the fragile peace deal reached in November 2022. Human rights groups and UN officials have separately urged all sides to protect civilians and keep humanitarian access open.