Since signing a peace agreement in November 2024, Ethiopia’s Tigray region has worked to rebuild in the face of profound challenges. Thousands of wounded individuals—many of them former combatants—require medical care, with numerous cases needing complex orthopedic and reconstructive surgical care. During the Tigray conflict, ReSurge International took the lead in establishing a groundbreaking partnership between ALERT Hospital in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) –– to enable pioneering surgeons to care for victims in conflict zones while training a new generation of surgeons to deliver access to care long-term.
Now, with unprecedented human casualties resulting from the war, an urgent need for reconstructive surgical care and expertise persists. ReSurge surgical partners from ALERT hospital are working tirelessly to reconstruct bodies and save lives amidst post-conflict casualties.
Background: The War in Tigray, Ethiopia
The Tigray war has been an ongoing armed conflict. The war was primarily fought in the Tigray region of Ethiopia between the Ethiopian federal government and Eritrea on one side, and the Tigrayan forces on the other. After years of increased tensions and hostilities between the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) and the governments of Ethiopia and Eritrea, the Ethiopian government declared war after accusing Tigrayan forces of attacking the Ethiopian defense force’s northern command base. The war, initially limited to the Tigray region, was expanded to the neighboring areas of Afar and Amhara, affecting more than 20 million people, of which nearly three-quarters were women and children, and 5.5 million have been forced to flee their homes and take refuge in other regions within Ethiopia. The war had a tremendous impact on human life, and civilian structures and has resulted in severe human casualties including reports of ethnic cleansing, gender-based violence, and severely wounded civilians. Notably, the war fueled an urgent need for reconstructive surgical care.
ReSurge Pioneer’s Access to Surgical Care in War-Affected Regions
Through a partnership facilitated by ReSurge International between ALERT Hospital and the International Committee of the Red Cross, ALERT Hospital started rotating plastic surgeons and physiotherapists to Mekelle, the capital of Tigray, to serve those impacted by the conflict. Two senior plastic surgeons work on 15-day rotations, assessing and treating cases alongside local healthcare providers, while a junior consultant stays longer to ensure continuous support. The International Committee of the Red Cross is covering logistical and operational costs, making this a collaborative milestone for all parties involved.
This partnership aligns seamlessly with ReSurge and ALERT Hospital’s Hub Model, which focuses on building sustainable access to surgical care for those who need it most. ReSurge builds further technical skills at ALERT hospitals in specialized areas like microsurgery, and then those surgeons go onwards and share their skills and expertise throughout the country. By collaborating with the Red Cross, ALERT has established high-quality care for complex injuries while supporting the Tigray Regional Health Bureau and Ethiopia’s Ministry of Health in addressing regional health priorities.
Addressing the Urgent Need for Surgical Care in Conflict Regions
Since launching this collaboration in August 2024, the ALERT-Red Cross team has treated over 120 patients, bringing hope and healing to individuals with injuries that might have otherwise gone untreated. With a focus on complex reconstructive procedures, the surgeons have tackled cases of upper and lower limb reconstruction, nerve and tendon repairs, and delicate soft tissue reconstructions for facial trauma. These interventions range from repairing bullet injuries to managing extensive tissue damage, all essential to restoring function and dignity to patients.
Dr. Meklit Berhane Kidane, one of ALERT’s leading plastic surgeons, commented on the importance of the partnership, emphasizing the essential role of the Red Cross in providing resources and the collaborative nature of the project:
“The commitment and expertise of the ALERT team have helped alleviate the suffering of so many who were wounded. It’s rewarding to know that we are not only healing but also empowering local healthcare providers to carry on this work.”
In-Country Capacity Building in Tigray, Ethiopia
Beyond direct patient care, the ReSurge, ALERT Hospital, and Red Cross partnership has grown to include training for general surgeons from other regions affected by ongoing conflict, such as the Amhara and Oromia. The collaboration has evolved into a capacity-building initiative, with ALERT agreeing to train local surgeons and send physiotherapists with each rotation team to provide a complete rehabilitation program for patients.
A recent meeting with ICRC representatives and ALERT Hospital’s CEO confirmed that the partnership’s progress has surpassed expectations. Both organizations plan to expand their Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to formalize training programs for medical professionals from regions where deploying external specialists remains challenging. This step ensures that critical surgical skills are shared, and the healthcare infrastructure in affected regions is strengthened, even in zones where active conflict remains a barrier.
Support Access to Surgical Care in Tigray
This collaboration serves as a powerful example of how ReSurge’s in-country capacity-building model can be leveraged as a sustainable healthcare model in times of urgency and crisis. By providing comprehensive care and enabling skill transfer to local healthcare workers, we are helping to set a precedent for sustainable surgical care in war-affected areas.
For the people of Tigray, these medical services are more than surgeries; they are a chance to heal and rebuild lives disrupted by conflict. As the partnership enters its next phase, the commitment from both ALERT Hospital and the ICRC shines as a beacon of resilience, showing that in even the most challenging circumstances we can help reconstruct lives.
Help provide surgical care to the victims of the Tigray war by donating today.
