Ethiopia: Violence in the North Is Pushing Health System to the Brink, WHO Chief Warns

What the report says

The World Health Organization’s director-general has urged stronger protection for civilians in northern Ethiopia after deadly drone strikes over the weekend, according to UN News, which was distributed by AllAfrica. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said reports of attacks in Amhara and Tigray were deeply troubling, citing fatalities at a displacement camp in Amhara that included children and a newborn, as well as a separate strike in Rama, Tigray, where people were reportedly killed while seeking food.

The report says fighting between Ethiopian government forces and rebel groups resumed in September in Amhara, Tigray and Afar, despite a peace deal reached nearly four years ago. UN Secretary-General António Guterres has separately warned of the risk that the conflict could widen and further destabilize the country, and his spokesperson has called for an immediate halt to hostilities and renewed mediation efforts.

Tedros said the violence is putting an already fragile health system closer to collapse. He pointed to shortages of health workers, medicines and equipment, along with limited ambulance access and insecurity that is slowing delivery of medical supplies. WHO and partners, he said, are trying to send additional supplies to the affected areas.

The warning highlights how renewed conflict can quickly worsen access to routine and emergency care, especially for displaced people, mothers and children, and those needing treatment for disease. The article also frames the situation as part of a broader pattern of frequent drone attacks and civilian casualties in Ethiopia.