Stories
August 12, 2025 • 2 min read
In response to the growing humanitarian crisis in Debre Birhan, GOAL Ethiopia has donated vital medical supplies to the City Health Bureau, aiming to relieve pressure on an overstretched health sector serving both displaced and host communities.
In solidarity with communities affected by internal displacement, GOAL Ethiopia donated essential medicines to the Debre Birhan City Health Bureau. The donation aims to alleviate the growing pressure on the city’s health system, which has been under strain due to the ongoing humanitarian crisis.
The influx in Debre Birhan
Debre Birhan has been hosting over 32,000 Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) for more than four years. The influx of displaced individuals has created substantial challenges for the city’s health sector, stretching the annual budget and overwhelming existing health infrastructure. The donation from GOAL comes at a crucial time, addressing the urgent medical needs of both displaced and host communities.
Reflection during the handover
Speaking at the handover ceremony, Neva Khan, GOAL Ethiopia’s Country Director, expressed gratitude to the funding partner, the Sunflower Foundation.
“GOAL is committed to responding to the humanitarian needs of communities affected by various crises,” Neva stated. “We believe that this medical supply donation will ease the burden on health service provision, particularly for the host community. However, lasting support is needed to help people rebuild their lives and become contributing members of their communities.”
This marks the third time GOAL Ethiopia has supported the Debre Birhan municipality with medical supplies since the displacement crisis began in 2021. GOAL has been actively engaged in responding to the needs of displaced populations since the onset of the crisis, providing humanitarian assistance in the form of health and nutrition service provision, and non-food items distribution.
Local Administration’s acknowledgement
Bekele Gebre, Head of the Debre Birhan City Health Bureau, also addressed the gathering and thanked GOAL and its donors for their continued support. “While we are deeply grateful for this generous medical supply donation, we recognize the ongoing challenges ahead,” he said. “This is a challenging period, but I hope our partnership with GOAL will continue to grow, enabling us to comprehensively address the needs of both the displaced and host communities.”
This initiative underscores GOAL’s ongoing commitment to supporting vulnerable populations and strengthening local health systems through collaborative humanitarian action.
