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Etiopia-Witten promotes scientific work at Ayder University Hospital in Mekelle
This is the scientific medical article published in November 2025 with the participation of Etiopia-Witten.
Download the complete article (DOI-10-5830-CVJA-2025-080)
Further information:
Despite the serious financial and personnel shortages that continue to exist in the post-war period at the largest university hospital in Ethiopia's northern province of Tigray, Ayder Hospital in Mekelle, scientific work continues to be performed and reported on there in addition to patient treatment.
Associate Professor and cardiologist Abraha Hailu MD from Ayder Hospital, together with other leading cardiologists in Ethiopia, has published a detailed report on a particularly worrying problem in the treatment of patients who need penicillin to treat their advanced heart disease.
This is rheumatic heart disease, which in young adults can be the result of purulent tonsillitis in childhood under unfavorable circumstances.
Based on their own patient experiences, they describe how, in severely ill patients with additional restrictions in heart function in connection with the underlying disease, the painful injection of benzathine penicillin is provoking rare sudden fatal events, as already observed elsewhere. This is not an allergic reaction or the result of penicillin contamination. It is most likely the result of a so-called vagal reaction, with a drop in blood pressure and a slowing of the heartbeat, which cannot be overcome in the case of severely pathologically reduced cardiovascular function. In healthy individuals, this vagal reaction is observed as a brief, rapidly spontaneous, and inconsequential fainting spell in connection with painful medical procedures.
The two German cardiologists, Gabriele Wehr and Christian Leuner from the Etiopia-Witten Association, have been working together with cardiologists at Ayder Hospital since 2018 in the field of training to prevent rheumatic heart disease in Ethiopia. They also contributed to the article that has now been published. The publication of the article in the internationally recognized Cardiovascular Journal of Africa was made possible by donations from the Etiopia-Witten association.
Read more … Etiopia-Witten promotes scientific work at Ayder University Hospital in Mekelle
The Guideline based prevention and control of Rheumatic heart disease in Mekelle city and surrounding towns (PrevRHDIV) has been re-launched officially on sept 28, 2025.
Medical staff are once again being trained in the prevention and treatment of rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart disease by cardiologists from Ayder University Hospital in the capital Mekelle, in Ethiopia's main province of Tigray.
The administration of funds and local organization are in the hands of Mekelle University and the senior cardiologist at Ayder Hospital, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Abraha Hailu Weldegerima. The provision of financial resources and their settlement with the donor (clinic partnerships/GIZ*) is supervised by Etiopia-Witten member Dr. Gabriele Wehr. The entire program in Mekelle is conducted predominantly in the local language “Tigrinya.”
Written report on the PrevRHD Launch Event on 28. September 2025 in Planet Hotel Mekelle
Photos from the PrevRHD IV Launch Event in Planet Hotel in Mekelle on 28. September 2025
PrevRHD IV - Head, Cardiolgist Abraha Hailu at Ayder Hospital at
Audience Launch Event PrevRHD IV
School feeding of near 1000 pupils in Tigray is secured by a generous donation of 45.000 €
Now it is possible to continue the financing of the exemplary Laeley Seken school meal program, which is successfully organized entirely by local private Ethiopian initiatives and financed by donations from Germany.
The Laeley Seken school is located in a remote rural area of the northern Ethiopian province Tigray, in the region of the provincial town of Abiy Addi, northwest of the provincial capital Mekelle.
Since 2024, the children have received a warm meal once a day. The food is stored at the school and was purchased with donations from Etiopia-Witten e. V. It consists mainly of rice and spicy legume porridge, prepared according to a traditional recipe. The village community from which the children come is responsible for cooking. In addition, on certain days, the children receive large cereal bars for children instead, which are specially fortified with proteins and vitamins. This helps to counteract malnutrition.
The school's dedicated teachers carefully supervise this program and report that it has been well received by the students, which is reflected in the sharp increase in attendance. The number of students present has increased from 75% to 95%. The proportion of children who arrive late has dropped from 12% to 1.2%.
We are delighted with this result!
Since the economic and political problems in Tigray are far from being settled, it may be that, contrary to expectations, we will have to continue to finance school meals even after the coming harvest season. This is now well secured by this generous donation.
Children queuing for the school feeding
Having to start with morning tea and nourishing biscuits