ADDIS ABABA –The National Disaster Risk Management Commission (NDRMC) stated that the idea portraying that there is a challenge in due course of delivering medicine and medical equipment to health centers in Tigray state due to lack of fuel is a prefabricated lie and unfounded allegation.
It is to be recalled that World Health Organizatio (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom (PhD) recently tweeted that although the WHO has been permitted to deliver medical supplies to Tigray, a lack of fuel prevents their distribution.
Regarding the issue, NDRMC Public Relations Director Debebe Zewde told Ethiopian Press Agency (EPA) that the Ethiopian government has been fulfilling its national responsibility to provide Tigray state with medical supplies and other related equipment allowing daily flights.
As to him, apart from transporting food and non-food items using land transportation means, some 50 partners are still supplying 509 million Birr to concerned body he said adding that it is not fair to say that the medicine and medical equipment has not been distributed by citing implausible reasons like shortage of fuel.
The fuel that the terrorist TPLF group looted from Kombolcha is large enough to distribute the medical supplies to health centers, Debebe further reported.
According to Debebe, eight organizations including the International Community of Red Cross, World Health Organization, World Vision Ethiopia, Plan International, Save the Children, and UNICEF have been delivering medicines and medical equipment to Tigray.
He said, “Last week, 41 metric tons of medicine and medical equipment was sent to Mekelle through International Community of Red Cross, World Health Organization, and World Vision Ethiopia.” In addition, 107 metric tons of medicine and medical equipment, including vaccines, are waiting for a cargo flight, he added.
The NDRMC is working in collaboration with other sector offices and institutions to provide all necessary support to the people of Tigray, Debebe further stated.
BY ABDUREZAK MOHAMMED
THE ETHIOPIAN FRIDAY 18 FEBRUARY 2022
