More than 10,000 people in North Wollo, Ethiopia, are facing hunger

In the Bugna district of the North Wollo region in the Amhara region, over 10,000 residents are struggling with severe food shortages caused by prolonged drought and conflict.

Newstimehub

Newstimehub

19 Dec, 2024

More than 10,000 residents in the Bugna district of the North Wollo region in the Amhara region are struggling with severe food shortages caused by prolonged drought and conflict, local authorities have confirmed. Among the affected population are vulnerable children under the age of five whose health has deteriorated due to malnutrition.

Gebremeskel Alemu, head of the Bugna Health Office, attributed the crisis to insufficient rainfall, environmental degradation, and the ongoing militarized conflict. “Mothers are struggling to adequately feed their children, and the aid efforts are insufficient,” he stated.

Residents, like Yekaba, a mother of twins, shared heart-wrenching stories. “I was only breastfeeding, but my milk is running out. There is no proper food for my babies,” she explained, emphasizing the urgency of the situation.

Mekonnen Ashagrie, head of the Ayna Health Center, stated that after the start of the new fiscal year, aid organizations halted their nutritional support, further exacerbating the challenges faced by the local population.

The Amhara region has been caught in a 14-month-long conflict between government forces and Fano militias, which is worsening the already dire humanitarian crisis. A recently released report highlighted that, amid ongoing drought and violence, more than 250,000 children across the region urgently require food assistance.