Ethiopia: State Announces Over 91% Health Facilities Restoration

ADDIS ABABA -The Afar State Health Bureau has announced that over 91% of the health facilities that were seriously damaged during the Tigray conflict have now been restored and are operational.

Bureau Head Yassin Habibi told The Ethiopian Herald that the Afar people faced significant challenges in accessing health services during the Tigray war, which affected the Tigray, Afar, and Amhara states.

According to him, more than 91% of the damaged health facilities have been renovated, and child mortality has decreased from 61 to 46 per 1,000 live births since the end of the conflict and the restoration of healthcare services.

The renovation process also upgraded three health stations into full hospitals to provide enhanced services, Yassin added.

“Although the state is working hard to increase the number of health professionals, much remains to be done to match the growing patient population with adequate medical staff,” he said.

He noted that the number of hospitals in Afar has increased from six to ten, indicating significant progress in healthcare services.

However, he emphasized that the uptake of prenatal and postnatal care among mothers remains low due to cultural practices. The Bureau has been conducting awareness campaigns through various mechanisms to address this issue.

Yassin also pointed out that there are around 30 mobile medical teams, each comprising five health professionalsincluding midwives and nutrition experts–serving remote areas that lack permanent health facilities.

In this regard, the recently launched United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) project titled Testing Mobile Health and Nutrition Clinics (MHNCs) in Ethiopia is expected to support ongoing health efforts, particularly in bridging healthcare gaps in the pastoral areas of the state.

Strengthening the health system, expanding the number of health extension workers, improving public awareness, and deploying sufficient health professionals are among the key areas the Bureau aims to improve in the coming years.

Ultimately, Yassin stressed, improving health facilities requires a coordinated effort to ensure quality and equitable healthcare for all citizens in Afar State.

BY MESERET BEHAILU

THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD FRIDAY 11 APRIL 2025