WHO, Ethiopian Gov't Reactivate COVID-19 Info Center in Tigray

The World Health Organization (WHO) on Wednesday announced partnership with the Ethiopian government to reactivate a toll-free COVID-19 call center in the country's conflict-affected Tigray region.

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The center, which was relaunched recently with an aim to expand the scope for COVID-19-related information, is expected to provide health information on a wide range of health issues ranging from COVID-19 to diseases such as malaria, measles, cholera and meningitis, the WHO announced in a statement.

The COVID-19 call center discontinued its operations in November 2020 after a conflict broke out in the region. Before the conflict, the call center had been receiving an average of about 20,000 calls per week from individuals seeking COVID-19 related information, it was noted.

In January, the United Nations warned that the interruption of COVID-19 surveillance and control activities in the Tigray region could facilitate "massive community transmission."

"Such an interruption for over a month in the region, coupled with mass displacements and overcrowded conditions in displacement setting, is feared to have facilitated massive community transmission of the pandemic," the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs had said.

The hotline service is also expected to provide confidential counseling and referral service to victims of sexual and gender-based violence, it was noted.

According to the WHO, the toll-free call center will play a role in strengthening event-based surveillance through alerts received from callers.

Head of the Tigray Regional Health Bureau, Fasika Amdesilassie, said during the relaunching ceremony that the move is an important step in reaching the people of Tigray with accurate and timely information on health threats like COVID-19 and possible disease outbreaks.

Ethio-Telecom, Ethiopia's state-owned telecom service provider, provided the necessary telephonic equipment free of charge, while communication materials and public service announcements have been developed with WHO support to reintroduce the service to the public and encourage uptake, it was noted.

The WHO further reiterated its commitments to help promote and support monitoring and operation of the toll-free center.