Response in times of crisis

The west Wolega zone in the Oromia region has been inaccessible for the past three years due to conflict. The conflict has significantly disrupted essential health services resulting in the outbreak of diseases like malaria and measles. Children were unable to attend school and communities have been compelled to abandon their homes. Recently, UNICEF has been able to access the west Wolega zone, and its humanitarian actions are underway to deliver much needed humanitarian services to thousands of women and children affected by the conflict. 

Six-year-old Anife Rahmata is happy to attend school. Despite recently losing her baby teeth, she still radiates a beautiful smile. “I enjoy school because I get to play with my friends. We learn in class first, and then we proceed to play outside,” she says. 

Segni also shares Anife’s view. Despite all the challenges that he’s too young to understand, he is happy to be in a school for the first time with his friends. His dream is to become a pilot “to fly high in the sky.” 

Kondala primary school where Anife and Segni are attending class, was closed for over two years due to the conflict. The school also suffered some damage. “We had to collect some chairs from the community so the students could at least sit on something. But it is not enough. We have too many children in one class,” says Sena Tesfa, their teacher. 

Kondala Primary School managed to start class because the community came together. Yet Begi Secondary School suffers significant damage. Though class has started this year, the laboratory and the bookstore are unusable.

While education gives hope for children, health workers in the conflict affected woredas are struggling to cope with an outbreak of malaria and measles. In Begi Primary Hospital, Rayan Minala is treated for malaria. She has in fact suffered repeatedly from malaria and needs specialized care to save her life. The doctor referred the little girl to Assosa Hospital where she can get blood, but her mother says that she can’t afford to cover the cost.

The impact of the instability is seen, not only by such outbreaks of diseases like malaria and measles, but it has also resulted in increasing cases of children with malnutrition. Three-year-old Fetiya Adem and 6-year-old Muslim Bashir suffer both from malaria and malnutrition. Both need critical care and close follow-up.

Health workers in Begi Hospital are doing their best with everything possible. Yet, the shortage of medical supplies, laboratory chemicals and critical equipment hampered their services. “We are now struggling with cases of malaria and other easily preventable diseases like measles. We have also many children suffering from malnutrition. This is because of the services’ disruption and our health workers were also displaced,” says Dr. Birmedu, the medical director.

The other challenge in referral is also the lack of ambulances. There is no functional Ambulance in Begi and nearby woredas. Zubeida Mohammed for instance gave birth to her child Keyo Ali at home. “I was not able to come to the health centre on time. There was no transport and I had to give birth at home,” she says. Luckily, Zubeida had a safe delivery. But she is now worried about her son getting his vaccinations on time. 

UNICEF is responding to the crisis in conflict affected Wolega zones of the Oromia region. A shipment of critical lifesaving medical and therapeutic nutrition supplies is underway to restore services. UNICEF is also working with partners rehabilitating water facilities in conflict affected areas. In addition, construction and restoration of schools is ongoing in five woredas of east and west Wolega zones. More than 7,500 conflict affected families also benefited from UNICEF’s humanitarian cash transfer programme.  In addition, UNICEF has allocated funds to support integrated nutrition and immunization services in both Begi and Kondala woredas benefiting more than 49,000 children under the age of five and 11,000 mothers.