Medics in Tigray plead with Ethiopia for insulin airlift as supplies run out

Thousands of diabetics in region face ‘agonising death’ amid blockage on food, fuel and medicines in 14-month conflict

Doctors at Tigray’s main hospital are urging the Ethiopian government to allow supplies of insulin to be airlifted into the region, warning that their stocks will run out within a week and that patients with type 1 diabetes are “at serious risk of death”.

At the Ayder referral hospital in Mekelle, the largest in the region of 7 million people, staff have been told they only have 150 vials of insulin left and no oral diabetes medicines, according to a statement late on Friday.