A 12-year-old boy in rural Ethiopia has captured global attention after attempting to admit his ailing chicken to a local hospital, a gesture officials say highlights the harsh realities of healthcare access for the country's poorest. The boy, identified as Bekele Tadesse from the village of Assella in the Oromia region, walked two miles in the rain carrying his beloved hen. He then waited in a queue at the Assella General Hospital holding the chicken under his arm before a triage nurse explained that the facility does not treat poultry.
“He was so upset. He couldn't understand why his pet couldn't be seen. He had saved his lunch money for a week to pay for the consultation,” said Nurse Meron Ayele, who eventually bought the chicken feed and bandaged its leg. The hen had been attacked by a stray dog the night before.
Hospital administrators said the incident, which has gone viral on social media in Ethiopia, underscores the desperate lack of veterinary care in rural areas. According to the Ethiopian Ministry of Agriculture, there is roughly one veterinarian for every 100,000 rural households in regions like Oromia. Most families rely on livestock for income and food, and a single chicken can be vital to a family's survival.
“This boy's love for his animal is beautiful, but it also points to a systemic failure. When a child has no option but to bring a chicken to a human hospital, we must ask why,” said Dr. Tsegaye Habte, a public health expert at Addis Ababa University.
The story has moved many in the global community. A GoFundMe page set up by a local teacher has already raised over 20,000 pounds to support Bekele and the Assella community. The boy's mother, Atete Jemberie, said she never expected such attention. “We live on less than a dollar a day. The chicken is our only source of eggs. I am grateful to those who want to help,” she said. Bekele has been promised that the hen will be treated at a proper veterinary clinic, and funds will also go towards a new chicken coop and a scholarship for his education.
