The health care system in Tigray has been pushed back 25 years due to war, the Tigray Health Bureau said on Saturday, warning of rising maternal deaths caused by a collapse in services and a shortage of ambulances.
Dr. Amanuel Haile, head of the bureau, said 184 women have died from pregnancy-related complications so far this year. “The number of maternal deaths has increased because mothers have no access to medical services and cannot reach hospitals on time,” he said during a ceremony marking the delivery of 200 newly purchased ambulances.
Before the war erupted in late 2020, Tigray had 310 ambulances. That number has fallen to 82 after extensive looting and destruction, according to Dr. Amanuel. The region also had 47 hospitals, 224 health centers, and 712 health posts before the conflict.
But by March 2021, Doctors Without Borders reported that many facilities had been looted by ground forces and later destroyed or turned into military camps, underscoring the systematic targeting of health infrastructure.
Yesterday during the delivery of 200 Ambulances, Dr. Amanuel said “Due to the war, Tigray’s health system has been dragged back 25 years,” calling for national and international support to rebuild the health care system destroyed during the war.
Humanitarian agencies are warning that restoring ambulance services and rebuilding health facilities is critical to avert a deepening public health crisis in the region.