WHO logistics hub airlifts its largest single shipment of humanitarian cargo to Ethiopia

ADDIS ABABA – The World Health Organization (WHO) on Monday said its Logistics Hub in Dubai delivered 85 metric tons of life-saving medical supplies to Ethiopia, the largest single shipment of humanitarian cargo to date airlifted by the Hub.

The supplies, including essential medicines, trauma and emergency surgery kits, infusions, consumables, equipment, and cholera kits, were flown by a charter flight donated by the United Arab Emirates.

In a statement today, the UN health agency said the supplies that landed in Addis Ababa on 10 September will address the urgent needs of more than 150 000 people. 

“This delivery will help bolster our efforts to provide relief to hundreds of thousands of families who are grappling with a difficult humanitarian situation,” said Dr Boureima Hama Sambo, WHO Representative in Ethiopia.

The shipment to Ethiopia wrapped up a historic week for the WHO Dubai Logistics Hub. 

Dispatching over four times the weekly average, the operation shipped over 450 metric tons of medical supplies valued at more than US$ 4.3 million in support of cholera outbreak response in Nigeria, critical shortages of medicines in Afghanistan, and trauma and surgical supplies to Syria and Yemen.