In January this year, the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) supported an urgent call for action to address the serious health delivery issues that the population of the Tigray Region of Ethiopia were facing as a result of the ongoing conflict between the Federal Government and the Tigray Regional Government. People living with diabetes, particularly type 1, in Tigray were at high risk of death due to lack of insulin and other essential medicines and care.
Since then, efforts to provide humanitarian aid in Tigray have been subverted by ongoing regulatory and security obstacles. The ongoing lack of medicines and interruptions of basic services such as electricity have made it almost impossible for health systems and humanitarian services to function, endangering the lives of the many thousands of people living with chronic and non-communicable conditions, including diabetes. In addition, many healthcare workers have been killed, displaced or are unaccounted for due to the conflict.
People living with diabetes in Tigray continue to be at high risk of death due to lack of insulin and other medications. Therefore, IDF joins the global health community and international aid agencies in urging the Ethiopian government to fully comply with international law and ensure the necessary humanitarian access to support vulnerable populations and health institutions in Tigray and prioritize the safety and security of health professionals in the region.
Related links
- Humanitarian aid must be allowed to enter the besieged Tigray region of Ethiopia (Nature Medicine, 18 August 2022)
