Doctors emphasize that healthcare is a collaborative effort and the strain cannot continue for more than a week, urging resolution through negotiation to ensure patient safety and restore full services.
At the University of Gondar Comprehensive Specialized Hospital, many services are unavailable, and even basic assessments are skipped.
Physicians at Black Lion Specialized Hospital and Wachemo University Nigist Eleni Mohammed Memorial Comprehensive Specialized Hospital describe overwhelming workloads, with some handling emergencies alone, leading to untreated patients and compromised care.
Ethiopia: Senior doctors report severe pressure due to an ongoing nationwide health professionals' strike, now in its third week. They warn of inadequate patient care and an unsustainable situation.
The government cites fiscal constraints, but underpaying health workers jeopardizes decades of health gains. Urgent negotiation for better pay and conditions, alongside a re-evaluation of economic priorities, is crucial to prevent further brain drain and ensure public health.
Medical associations' ultimatum for better pay and resources was met with silence, then arrests and dismissals, exacerbating mistrust. While facilities and staff numbers have grown, population growth outpaces it, leading to a severe doctor shortage (1:5,843).
Ethiopia: Ethiopian public hospitals are quiet as doctors strike nationwide over low wages (as low as $80/month), poor conditions, and inadequate supplies, despite significant health budget increases that are offset by high inflation.
The government must engage in good-faith negotiations, release detainees, and enact reforms to prevent a collapse of the healthcare system and ensure national well-being.
Authorities respond with intimidation, arrests, and legal threats, ignoring calls for dialogue and respect. This crisis of dignity, with critical staff shortages and a "brain drain," jeopardizes national health.
Ethiopia: Ethiopian health workers are striking over poor pay, conditions, and harassment. Years of neglect and meager salaries forced this "last resort" action. Despite COVID-19 heroism, they face destitution while the government spends lavishly.
While the Health Ministry acknowledged their grievances, it deemed the strike unacceptable. Discussions to resolve the dispute, potentially involving the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission as a mediator, are ongoing.
Representing the Ethiopian Healthcare Professionals Movement, they presented 12 demands in April, citing poor living and working conditions and a struggling healthcare system. Since May 13, 2025, they've been on a national strike, facing arrests and dismissals. Hospitals are now hiring replacements.
Ethiopia: For three weeks, Ethiopian healthcare professionals have been on strike, demanding better pay, benefits, and working conditions. On May 23, 2025, they finally met with government officials. www.bbc.com/amharic/arti...
Experts at the Ethiopian Public Health Institute suspect the virus was picked up by the childโs father on his recent travels abroad. Health officials say they are working to reach other individuals who may have been exposed.
The child and his mother, residents of Moyale, have been placed in quarantine and are stable condition, according to the statement. Efforts are being made to trace the source of the infectious disease.
A joint statement from the Ethiopian Federal Ministry of Health and the Ethiopian Public Health Institute on MPox.
Ethiopia: Ethiopia Confirms First-Ever Mpox Case. A 21-day-old infant has tested positive for monkeypox near the Kenyan border, according to the Minister of Health, who confirmed Ethiopiaโs first recorded case in a statement today.
The Health Minister warned of legal action, including license revocation, if healthcare workers don't return to work.
Amnesty criticized the arrests as a suppressive tactic and called for an end to harassment of peaceful protestors. The Ethiopian Human Rights Commission confirmed the arrests, citing incitement and threats.
Ethiopia: Amnesty International has urged Ethiopia to unconditionally release healthcare professionals detained over a strike related to salary and benefit demands. Over 80 have been arrested nationwide, with at least 20 in Addis Ababa.
This follows the 4th day of widespread partial to full strikes by healthcare workers demanding better pay, and reports of arrests and pressure on them across regions.
Ethiopia: Ethiopian Federal Police arrested 47 healthcare professionals, accusing them of "collaborating with forces working to create chaos" under the guise of demanding rights. The police warned against "illegal strikes," stating their crackdown will continue.
Factors driving this migration include better pay, professional growth, and international experience offered in Rwanda compared to Ethiopia. Dr. Yekoyesew Belete notes around 20-30 Ethiopian doctors in Rwanda, highlighting the positive work environment and appreciation for their expertise.
Rwanda's government aims for universal health access, and Ethiopian doctors contribute significantly, filling specialist and sub-specialist roles due to job opportunities and a strategic plan to increase medical professionals per capita.
Ethiopia: Ethiopian medical professionals are increasingly migrating to Rwanda, a country praised by the WHO for its strong healthcare system, high health insurance coverage, HIV medication access, and childhood vaccinations.
The court has a 12-day adjournment to gather evidence, including investigating alleged patient deaths.
Her arrest followed her BBC interview on healthcare system challenges and strike reasons, including poor pay and conditions. The strike, ongoing since May 13, demands better pay, working conditions, and rights, despite official downplaying and reports of intimidation and arrests of striking workers.
She appeared in Federal High Court on Wednesday, May 21, 2025. Prosecutors also alleged the group caused patient deaths, a claim Dr. Mahlet's family denies, stating she hasn't been clinically active for nearly two years.
Dr. Mahlet was taken from her Addis Ababa residence on Monday, May 19, 2025, by security forces without a summons, and her phones were seized. Her family located her at the Addis Ababa Police Commission. The next day, her laptops were taken during a search.
Ethiopia: Dr. Mahlet Gush, an anatomic pathologist, and eight others were charged with โinciting riot and unrestโ and โcollaborating with anti-peace forcesโ amid a nationwide health professionals' strike.
The EHRC is monitoring government responses and potential human rights violations, including patient neglect and arrests of striking professionals. The Chief Commissioner called for a transparent solution that respects both medical professionals' rights and the public's right to health.
