Ameyu Etana
Wednesday November 23, 2022
Vaccination alleviates the spread of measles
Residents in remote areas of western Ethiopia say children have been dying from a measles outbreak for the past few months as there is little access to hospital.
Those who talked to the BBC say road blocks erected as a result of the ongoing conflict in the region had hampered movement.
The federal government has been fighting a deadly insurgency in western Oromia – a stronghold of the Oromo Liberation Army (OLA) rebels.
Health official Dereje Abdena confirmed to the BBC about the outbreaks of measles and malaria in the region - including in areas hit by drought.
The authorities said they were trying to reach out to those affected.
"Just a few days ago we buried two children who died from measles. Medics have left the area," a resident of Kondala district in West Wollega zone said.
Measles is highly contagious and can cause serious illness. It can sometimes be fatal.
In a recent report, the UN said the humanitarian situation in western Oromia region "remains complex" with hundreds of thousands displaced due to conflicts.
‘’Access, security and resources remain challenging to reach the affected population," the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said.