Security in Ethiopia threatens humanitarian aid and virus fight

Delivery of humanitarian aid services as well as the fight against coronavirus in Ethiopia's Tigray, the northernmost region of the country, remain challenging owing to the unpredictable and volatile security situation in the area.

Six months since the conflict between the Ethiopian government security forces and regional forces of the Tigray People's Liberation Front began in early November 2020, most rural areas have remained cut off from communications and electricity, impacting access to health services, water supply and vital assistance.

Additionally, disrupted communications are causing a delay in reporting and the monitoring of progress of distribution of aid, according to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.

In its daily noon briefing on Wednesday, the organization said active hostilities in the region are impeding the scale-up of operations in rural areas.

Already, cases of coronavirus infections have been reported in Mekelle, the capital of the Tigray region, causing fears of widespread transmissions because people are living in cramped conditions, with insufficient isolation centers to mitigate a large-scale outbreak.

Additionally, the UN agency said there is a lack of essential medicines for mobile health and nutrition teams as well as a shortfall in medical equipment, including oxygen cylinders, and fuel shortages for referral and ambulance services.

As of May 5, Ethiopia had recorded 217,327 total coronavirus cases and 3,000 deaths.

The insecurity in Tigray coupled with the ongoing heavy rains has also delayed provisions of shelter and non-food support for those who are displaced.

According to the International Organization for Migration, the leading intergovernmental organization in the field of migration, headquartered in Switzerland, more than a million people have been internally displaced due to the conflict in Tigray.

Despite the challenges, humanitarian partners continue the relief scale-up to try and reach all people in need in Tigray, with food distribution being the main component of the emergency response.

Meanwhile, thousands of children are currently separated from their parents as a result of the conflict in Tigray, with many living in unsafe and dire conditions in informal camps, according to Save the Children, a leading humanitarian organization for children, headquartered in London, the United Kingdom.

In a statement on Tuesday, the organization said at least 917 unaccompanied and 4,056 separated children have been recorded by the UN since the fighting started.

"Save the Children is gravely concerned for the mental and physical well-being of these children," the organization said.

"Separated children face enormous challenges in meeting their basic needs, missing the people in their lives who would usually help them find food, water and shelter."

Save the Children said many of the children are living in single rooms where more than 50 people sleep, exposing them to further risks of harm including physical and sexual violence.

The organization said health facilities have been damaged in the region and there is a shortage of medical supplies and drugs, leaving children, pregnant women and those who have suffered sexual violence without access to vital healthcare.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said the humanitarian response in Tigray remains insufficient to meet the needs of all affected people.

It said additional personnel, funds, as well as unfettered and safe access, are required to scale up to the level needed to respond across the region.

On Nov 4, the regional party of Tigray allegedly attacked the Northern Command of Ethiopia's National Defense Force in Mekelle, prompting a military offensive from the government of Ethiopia. The move led to the breaking out of conflict in the northern part of the country.