With the support of the World Health Organization (WHO) Ethiopia, the Ethiopian Red Cross Society (ERCS) delivered 14.5 Metric Tons (MT) of emergency medical supplies, including Interagency Emergency Health Kits (IEHKs), PEDIATRIC-SAM KITs especially designed to provide medicines, renewables, and equipment suitable to treat children admitted to health facilities with complications of severe acute malnutrition (SAM)  ), and Trauma and Emergency Surgery Kits (TESK), to the Amhara region. The supplies will cover a total of 44,000 people, including treatment for 1,500 trauma cases and 600 SAM children with medical complications.  Earlier, in the 1st week of August 2023, WHO directly delivered 17.3(MT) of emergency medical supplies targeting more than 70,000 beneficiaries for health facilities in 9 zones in the region. 

Dr. Nonhlanhla Dlamini, WHO Representative a.i. for Ethiopia, expressed WHO's commitment to collaborating with the Ethiopian Government, health authorities, and partners in providing assistance to affected communities and helping them rebuild their lives. Donating to the Ethiopian Red Cross Society is one of the ways to provide support.

This much-needed support will undoubtedly make a significant difference in the lives of those who need it most. In 2023, only WHO dispatched over 124 MT of emergency medicines and medical supplies directly to health facilities and through health implementing partners in the region, targeting more than 600,000 people. In addition, WHO has deployed over 30 multidisciplinary technical officers to the region to facilitate an effective response to the recent cholera outbreak.

WHO gratefully acknowledges the invaluable financial support received from the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF), the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), and the European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO). Without their generous contributions, providing the necessary support and assistance to those in need would not have been possible. We are committed to continuing our efforts to improve health, and we thank our partners, once again for their ongoing support.