Mekele, Ethiopia Chandera Weldesenbet, a 41-year-old veteran of the recent conflict in Ethiopia's Tigray region, finds himself in a heart-wrenching predicament. With metal shrapnel embedded in his body and no prospect of specialized medical assistance, he worries about dying before receiving the help he desperately needs. This fear looms over him more than two years after the fighting officially ended. Bedridden for most of the time due to excruciating pain, Chandera is a stark representation of the countless individuals suffering from untreated or poorly managed injuries, a grim reminder of the devastating toll the war has wrought on the population.

Chandera, a former hotel worker from the town of Shire, reflects on his future with despair, particularly considering his responsibilities as a father to a toddler. When I think about my future prospect and my ability to raise a child in such hardship and circumstances, I feel hopeless, he lamented. The conflict that erupted in Tigray had catastrophic consequences, resulting in immense human suffering and destruction, particularly of health facilities across the region.

According to Temesgen Tilahun, head of the Ethiopian National Rehabilitation Commission, there are over 43,000 former combatants residing in Tigray. The war, which pitted local fighters against federal troops aligned with fighters from other regions, resulted in the death of thousands, although the exact number of wounded remains uncertain. Many ex-combatants returned to their homes only to discover that the medical support necessary for their permanent disabilities was entirely absent.

Hiluf Haile, another former soldier who managed to receive therapy in Mekele, the capital of Tigray, is adjusting to life with a new prosthetic leg. He has been fortunate to access the only center in Tigray that provides such rehabilitation services; however, he is acutely aware of the chronic shortages of support available for other disabled veterans. They survive by begging, laying bare the scars of the war, said Haile, underscoring the grim reality faced by many.

Meanwhile, fellow veteran Tesfaye Kiros, who lost a leg during the conflict, has struggled to find gainful employment. He spends his days begging at a busy bus station in Mekele. His aspirations of returning to his hometown of Zalambessa, located near the border with Eritrea, seem increasingly unattainable due to rising tensions between Ethiopia and its former ally. Recently, Tesfaye was thrilled when a diaspora-led initiative called Rescue & Oasis Actions for the Disabled of War selected him to receive a three-wheel electric bike, which he believed would greatly enhance his mobility. Yet, faced with the pressures of providing for his children, he ultimately sold the bike to buy food. The bike would have helped me a great deal, he reflected with disappointment.

As Tigray struggles to recover from the ravages of war, the regional government has issued appeals for more assistance, seeking both federal support from the capital Addis Ababa and international aid. Officials have noted the urgent need for more resources to help veterans reintegrate into society. Tigray has too many individuals with disabilities who need support, especially medicine, and the situation is extremely dire, stated Gebrehiwot Gebrezgiabher, commissioner for the Tigray Disaster Risk Management Commission. We are too overwhelmed to support them without more financial backing.

The Mekelle Ortho-Physiotherapy Center, operational in Tigray for nearly three decades with backing from the International Committee of the Red Cross, is striving to bridge the extensive service gap. The center has been providing prosthetic limbs and mobility aids like crutches to disabled combatants, but the overwhelming demand for assistance far exceeds its capacity. Over the years, we have delivered a total of 180,000 services. However, this number pales in comparison to the 65,000 we have provided in just the last three years, reported center manager Birhane Teame. He has called on international organizations to extend their aid to help alleviate the heavy burden faced by the region's disabled population.