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Translation of Siyanne Mekonnen @Siyaanne
Addis Ababa December 25, 2020 – In a rare interview with Voice of America (VOA), Dr. Fasika Amdesellaise, who was serving as a surgeon at the Ayider Reference Hospital in Mekelle, the capital of the regional state of Tigray, revealed the deaths of civilians in Mekelle, too He said that Wukro and Adigrat hospitals were “completely looted and empty.”
Dr. Fasika Amdesellaise has just been assigned to the head of the regional state of Tigray as its interim health office. He spoke to the VOA after his assignment, becoming the first such official to speak of the damage the ongoing military operation has caused to civilians and health facilities.
Dr. Fasika said that he was working as a surgeon at Ayder’s referral hospital during the time when the national defense forces took control of Mekelle on November 28. Dr. Fasika recalled heartbreaking stories during the military operation. “There were two airstrikes while I was doing the treatment. A seven-year-old girl came to the hospital after sustaining a serious head injury. A fourth-year sociology student was beaten and both died. That saturday they [the defense forces] controlled Mekelle, the city was bombarded with heavy artillery, many injured civilians arrived at the hospital in the morning during the day and at night, ”he said.
In a report it published on November 29, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) released a report saying that Mekelle hospitals were “struggling to care for the wounded while medical supplies ran out; Red Cross ambulances evacuate the wounded ”.
The doctor continued to recall the number of wounded and injured civilians. “I witnessed 40 injured and 22 dead upon arrival.” He explained that the victims are people of all ages, children, young people and the elderly. Remember that the power went out three days after the military took control of the city. “The day the city was bombed, we had electricity, so we helped patients as much as we could. But after the power was cut, everything was cut off. We ran out of medicine. it was scary to move. People stopped coming to the hospital. Everything started to get worse. “
Dr. Fasika explained the shortage of drugs like insulin for weeks. But now the drugs are arriving and they are reaching the cities of Adwa, Adigrat and Dombosco through the Red Cross. He also explained how the hospital he attended survived amid a power outage, noting that the community that lived around the hospital organized and began helping patients with cookies and food. “The biggest challenge was the morale of the people affected. We couldn’t do the wound dressing because we didn’t have electricity. The food supply was cut off. The patients went hungry. Many patients in intensive care died because oxygen was depleted. “
When asked about the responsibility he assumed during these difficult times, he replied: “I was just the director of a medical school. I don’t have that much experience. But currently, we are not considering the policy, the provision of health care must continue despite this. ”He emphasized the need to work harder to prevent further harm to health care, provide services, connect with people, work with the Ministry Federal Health, NGOs and the United Nations. “The health office must recover from the damage it suffered, so when the university recommended me for the position, I accepted the principle that I should do everything possible to provide medical treatment to those who they will need it ”.
The doctor expressed the willingness of the federal health ministry to provide medical supplies together with the Red Cross. Mekelle is close to returning to normal according to him. However, coverage in Tigary remains very limited. He said he is concerned that the office will not have access to Axum, Adwa, Shire and Tembein.
“We have seen doctors in the Adigrat and Wukro areas who have been working alone for three weeks with no one to talk to,” Dr. Fasika said, describing how they chose to stay at work rather than run for their lives.
When asked to comment on the current situation in areas from Mekelle to Adgrat, where there were heavy fighting, Dr. Fasila replied: “There are no people. There was no activity in all the cities we passed through. All the houses are closed. There is a kingdom of fear. Adigrat Hospital and Health Center and Wukro Hospital were looted. Health centers and hospitals are empty. Burned cars and tanks are seen. I was told that the Adigrat pharmaceutical factory was also completely looted, although I have not seen it. They also told me that the University of Adigrat had been looted and destroyed ”.
Dr. Fasika asked the international aid agencies to help the people of Tigray in every way possible with food, medicine and whatever they can. “The people of Tigray, who have been challenged with Covid-19, should not suffer from the problem it did not create.” AS
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