International Activity Report 2003
Ethiopia

International staff: 61 National staff: 518 MSF has been working in Ethiopia since 1984

In Ethiopia, frequent epidemics are compounded by food security problems. The end of 2002 saw Ethiopia in a severe drought; the government declared that 12 million people were at risk. While responding to increasing nutritional needs in some areas, MSF also spoke out about problems with the emergency response system, pointing out that while emergency relief is critical, it is not a long-term solution. In addition, a government resettlement program began in February 2003 in five regions of Ethiopia; MSF has expressed its concerns about this in the various regions where it works and continues to monitor the situation.

MSF continues tuberculosis (TB) treatment in the Somali region through a network of four hospitals and 11 health centers, and in a TB center in Galaha for the nomadic people of the Afar region. HIV/AIDS activities continue in Addis Ababa, where MSF provides comprehensive care for people living with HIV/AIDS as well as reproductive health care, family planning and treatment for sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) for sex workers. MSF also runs an STD project in Tigray. In Humera, HIV/AIDS and the parasitic disease kala azar are the focus of MSF work. There are also kala azar programs in Abduar. and Mycadra. MSF provides primary health care in Sekota, Wag Hamra; a primary care program ended in South Omo in February 2003. In the Adfer zone of the Somali region, MSF is also running a water and sanitation project.