Ongoing conflict in Ethiopia’s Oromia region has led to a significant increase in malaria deaths, with Lema Tefera losing four children. The World Health Organization notes a critical rise in cases as a result of disrupted healthcare services due to the fighting. Climate change is exacerbating conditions for malaria-carrying mosquitoes, and aid funding cuts threaten to worsen the crisis further, highlighting the urgent need for humanitarian assistance.
The ongoing conflict in Ethiopia’s Oromia region has triggered a catastrophic rise in malaria-related fatalities, as illustrated by Lema Tefera, who lost four children to the disease within a month. He attributed these losses to the unavailability of malaria treatments in his conflict-affected village. The World Health Organization asserts that Africa accounts for about 95 percent of global malaria cases, highlighting a severe public health crisis exacerbated by conflict.
The humanitarian crisis is particularly intense in Oromia, where a violent struggle between government forces and the Oromo Liberation Army has been ongoing since 2018. Healthcare services have been profoundly disrupted, leading to soaring malaria deaths. Between January and October 2023, Ethiopia reported 7.3 million malaria cases and 1,157 deaths, with Oromia constituting nearly half of the total figures. The region’s healthcare infrastructure has collapsed due to the conflict, severely limiting access to essential medicines.
Legesse Bulcha, director of Nejo General Hospital, indicated that malaria cases have surged over the past three years, with malaria accounting for 70 percent of treated patients in 2023-2024. This significant rise reflects not only conflict-related barriers but also climate change, which is creating favorable conditions for malaria-carrying mosquitoes to thrive, including during traditionally drier months.
Rachelle Seguin from Doctors Without Borders reported unprecedented malaria case numbers in early 2024, attributing this to a combination of rising temperatures and prolonged conflict. Concerns are mounting as the next rainy season approaches, suggesting that the situation could deteriorate further. Additionally, a recent halt in U.S. aid funding threatens to exacerbate the crisis, as such funding is crucial for malaria control.
For Lema, whose family has been devastated by the disease, the pain of loss is profound. Unable to farm, he now relies on relatives for support as he grieves. His experience reflects the far-reaching impacts of the conflict and healthcare collapse, underscoring the urgent need for humanitarian assistance and intervention to address this growing malaria epidemic.
The conflict in Ethiopia’s Oromia region has severely affected healthcare access, leading to a dramatic rise in malaria cases and fatalities. The combination of conflict, climate change, and disrupted healthcare systems has created a dire humanitarian crisis. With the threat of increased malaria cases looming as the rainy season approaches and U.S. aid cuts complicating matters, urgent intervention is needed to address this evolving disaster in public health. Lema’s personal tragedy exemplifies the human cost of this crisis, urging the international community to respond swiftly.
Original Source: newscentral.africa
