Ethiopia's Tigray conflict revives as hospitals struggle without power
A ceasefire collapse in September has left medical staff in Mekele treating war trauma amid blackouts, fueling fears of a renewed civil war.
By Evelyn Adeyemi ·
Ethiopian hospitals in the Tigray region have endured nearly a week of chaos following the collapse of a two-year ceasefire, with medical staff reporting a complete loss of cell networks and electricity.
The violence resumed on September 24, when fighting between rebels and the Ethiopian government intensified. A surgeon in Mekele, the capital of the Tigray region, recalled that the emergency room became overwhelmed with war trauma patients. He described the floors as filled to capacity, leaving no space to move.
The Ethiopian military accuses Sudan, Egypt, and Eritrea of backing Tigrayan militants. These rebels have aligned with seven other groups in Ethiopia, aiming to remove Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed from power. Drone strikes in late October killed at least 15 people, including children, prompting global health officials to warn of a collapsing infrastructure.
Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the director-general of the World Health Organization, stated on social media that the violence is pushing a fragile health system closer to collapse. Ghebreyesus, who is Tigrayan and formerly served as Ethiopia's minister of health, noted shortages of workers, medicine, and ambulances.
Public health experts indicate that attacks on healthcare facilities have become a widespread concern. In 2026, such attacks in 19 countries resulted in more than 960 deaths, according to WHO data. Lindsey Green, a researcher at Physicians for Human Rights, said that these strikes are eroding the norm of protecting healthcare in conflict zones.
The current crisis follows a two-year war that killed an estimated 600,000 people. A peace agreement in 2022 ended most hostilities, but a report from this year found that 63% of surveyed health workers reported attacks on ambulances. Another 57% witnessed armed groups take over clinics or hospitals between 2020 and 2024.
A health worker in Tigray counted more than 100 women who died in childbirth over the past year due to a lack of medicine and fuel. An independent review of birth data from 2020 to 2022 showed that the maternal mortality rate per 100,000 live births increased fivefold compared to prewar levels. Doctors in the region say that foreign aid cuts, including the dismantling of USAID in 2025, have compounded the damage.
Ayoda Werede, a physician with Health Professionals for Tigray, reported that while the Ethiopian military has not targeted health centers in the latest outbreak, other groups have stolen supplies, including medication and mattresses. Many Tigrayan doctors have left the country, leaving the remaining staff to manage an increasing number of injured patients without a clear path to recovery.
