With generous support from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia through the King Salman Humanitarian Aid & Relief Centre (KSRelief), and from Gamers Without Borders, International Medical Corps is implementing healthcare, nutrition and emergency response programs to support underserved, drought-affected communities in Ethiopia, Somalia and Yemen.
Countries across Africa and the Middle East are experiencing an extreme hunger crisis. Seasonal rains that farmers depend on to water their crops and livestock have failed for more than four years. In Ethiopia alone, 24 million people have been affected by drought, with millions at risk of famine. In Somalia, more than 8.3 million people face acute food insecurity, 3.86 million are internally displaced due to conflict and climate-related conditions and nearly 60% of its 14 million people depend on outside support for survival. And ongoing conflict in all three countries—including Yemen’s civil war, now in its eighth year—has driven millions from their homes, weakened economies and overwhelmed health systems, allowing deadly diseases to spread unchecked. At the same time, global economic instabilities and the war in Ukraine have caused the prices of fuel, food, fertilizer and agricultural products to surge, leading to more starvation and death.
Over the next 12 months, International Medical Corps will provide lifesaving services and support to underserved communities, including those in hard-to-reach areas.
“It’s a challenging time in Ethiopia,” said Lawrence Mutharia, Country Director in Ethiopia. “Our country is recovering from years of conflict, waves of displacement and an ongoing hunger crisis. The funding from KSRelief will go a long way in helping our teams serve thousands of people affected by years of drought.”
International Medical Corps will provide multi-purpose cash assistance and water trucking in Ethiopia. In Somalia, we will provide medical commodities to health facilities, mass casualty management training for frontline healthcare workers, and establish an emergency operations center to help coordinate drought response. Both countries have long suffered from periods of extreme drought.
“Somalia has faced extreme drought before, in 2011 and 2017, and the effects are devastating,” explained Ronald-Paul Veilleux, Country Director in Somalia. “The country is also dealing with an ongoing internal conflict that has lasted for several years. I’m grateful to KSRelief for its continued support, which has enabled us to implement these lifesaving health and nutrition programs and reach people in urban and rural Somalia.”
In Yemen, International Medical Corps will provide food assistance through cash registrations and essential medical commodities, support referral costs for patients suffering from severe acute malnutrition, strengthen waste management and increase water storage capacity at six health facilities.
“After nearly a decade of conflict, our courageous teams continue to provide lifesaving services across the country,” said Wasim Bahja, Country Director in Yemen. “But we can’t deliver these services without funding from generous donors, including KSRelief and Gamers Without Borders. Thanks to their support, we can provide nutrition services, therapeutic food and other vital services to those most in need.”