Rehabilitation of Dessie Hospital in Ethiopia

In November 2020, a violent conflict broke out in northern Ethiopia between the Tigray armed forces and the United Front of Ethiopian Federalist and Confederalist Forces and its allies in the Amhara region. The fighting mainly takes place in the Tigray region, but has rapidly spread to the border regions, including the Amhara region.

This conflict has taken a huge toll on human life: several thousand victims, millions of displaced people and 25 million people in need of humanitarian assistance. Civilian infrastructure, including hospitals and medical centres, has been damaged and looted. As a result, the primary and secondary healthcare needs of the population remain unmet.

At the end of 2021, Dessie Hospital was completely looted and partially destroyed by the Tigray armed forces who occupied the site for six weeks. It is the only hospital in the region providing comprehensive and specialised healthcare in numerous disciplines for more than 10 million people. A significant number of medical and nursing students also receive practical training there. 

To address the urgent need for access to medical care, the local authorities and Ethiopian Ministry of Health requested support from the French Embassy in Ethiopia, which turned to Expertise France for the implementation of a rehabilitation project. 

In March 2022, Expertise France took action to help restore access to healthcare in the town of Dessie through a project to rehabilitate the local hospital. This project is financed by the European Union and the Crisis and Support Centre of the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs.

The rehabilitation work carried out by Expertise France aims to ensure access to comprehensive healthcare for local communities affected by the conflict. The objective is to build their resilience and lay the foundations for reconstruction and reconciliation in the region.

The damaged buildings have been repaired and the site has been cleaned. The stolen or damaged medical equipment has been replaced. The critical administrative systems have now been restored and reorganised. This major rehabilitation work has provided the staff at Dessie Hospital with the equipment and capacity they need to be able to resume their comprehensive healthcare services for the population.

Since the project began in July 2022:  

• The mortality rate in the hospital has fallen by 10%
• The satisfaction rate of patients treated at the hospital has increased by 17%
• 16 items of medical equipment have been purchased on international markets and imported into Ethiopia  
• The number of consultations over the period has increased by 7%
• 6 medical departments have been rehabilitated and fully equipped