The crisis in Ethiopia’s Tigray region has been termed the “greatest disaster on Earth,” and the president of the World Health Organization (WHO) has questioned whether this is because of “the colour of the people in Tigray’s skin.”
Six million people in the northern region are being treated with “unimaginable cruelty,” according to WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, who said that they have been cut off from essential services for almost two years.
In an emotional statement, Tedros referred to the situation as the “biggest humanitarian crisis in the world,” and he questioned why it is not receiving the same attention as the conflict in Ukraine. Tedros, who is actually from Tigray, indicated racism might be to blame for the crisis receiving less attention than Ukraine.
In a virtual media briefing, Tedros suggested that “maybe the cause is the colour of the people’s skin.” He questioned whether “black and white lives” in situations around the world receive equal consideration in April of this year during a briefing.
The Tigray People’s Liberation Front was overthrown by Ethiopian military in November 2020 after Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed accused the rebels of attacking army camps.
Michael Ryan, director of the WHO Emergencies Programme, also criticised the lack of attention given to the health catastrophe that has resulted from the drought and famine that are raging in the Horn of Africa.
