WHO chief says northern Ethiopia's health system is nearing collapse amid violence and drone strikes.

What it means

The World Health Organization's director-general, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, warned that the health system in northern Ethiopia is on the verge of collapse following a series of deadly drone strikes. The attacks, which reportedly killed children and a newborn, have disrupted medical services and humanitarian aid deliveries in the Amhara and Tigray regions. Tedros called for greater protection for civilians caught in the conflict, but did not identify the perpetrators or give overall casualty figures.

Accuracy & sourcesGrounded

The claim is based on a direct statement by the WHO chief, reported by UN News, making it a primary-source account of his warning. The underlying facts about drone strikes and health system strain are as reported by WHO, but independent verification of specific incidents may be limited.

How new

This is a genuinely new development reported on 2-3 November 2026, based on a recent WHO warning.

Go deeper

• Al Jazeera English — first to publish