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Providing health services to all citizens is one of the primary tasks of the Ethiopian government. The Constitution of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia clearly mentions the issue of access to health services for every citizen.
In this regard, the Ethiopian government is working together with international partner organizations to provide urgent support for health services so that the health and humanitarian needs of our communities affected by the conflict in different parts of our country is met.
The Government of Ethiopia, from January to July 2022, via the Ministry of Health; together the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the National Disaster Risk Management Commission, are working closely with international partner organizations to facilitate and deliver essential medicines and nutritional supplies to the Tigray region.
The first are the supplies delivered from government supply system (Ethiopian pharmaceutical supply services) between January and July. The government sent the following medical and nutritional supplies to Tigray region through UN agencies and International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) charter and regular flights.
- Medicines and medical supplies worth a total of Birr 71,179,802.45 have been sent to Tigray region since January. The main supplies sent include:-
- Anti-tuberculosis, anti-malarial, cardiac drugs, anesthesia drugs, hemodialysis equipment, vaccines, covid-19 supplies and other essential drugs.
- 135.45 metric tons of health and nutritional food supplies that can serve 1,128,750 individuals for 3 months have been sent to Tigray region for essential health services.
- Out of this, in the last two months, June and July /2022
- Medicines and medical supplies worth more than 25 million birr have been sent to Tigray region.
- The second is the support made through different partner organizations as below:
- In the last six months, 76 metric tons of medical supplies have been sent to Tigray region by partner organizations. UNICEF, Samaritans Purse, Goal Ethiopia, Save the children, Catholic relief service, CRS, Medical team international, World Vision, UNFPA, UNHCR, IOM, SCI, Plan international, MSF-H participated in it.
- Recently, 1.04 metric tons of anti-tuberculosis drugs to be distributed by the World Health Organization through the Ministry of Health were arranged to be transported to Tigray by an emergency chartered UNHAS flight. Preparations have been completed to send 55 metric tons of medical supplies and other supplies to Tigray this week.
- In the last six months, 96.55 metric tons of essential medicines, which can serve 804,584 individuals for 3 months, have been acquired from the ICRC. In two months, it had been possible to facilitate the transportation of more than 38.45 metric tons of medicine and medical supplies from the ICRC Stock and Ministry of Health/Ethiopian Drug Supply Service storage centers.
- In addition to ICRC support, support from various donors (GE, EPA etc) will soon be sent to Tigray region.
In total, 308 metric tons of health supplies were transported from the Ministry of Health and partner organizations in the past six months. This delivery of essential medicines and supplies will continue to be strengthened to reach the communities in need of these services.
Ministry of Health, Ethiopia