Walkouts by medical workers from hospitals, health centers and universities from teaching institutions across Ethiopia have continued as the nationwide strike entered its seventh day, APA can report on Monday.
The Ministry of Health over the weekend said it has engaged in talks with the strikers to address their demands on improved pay, better working conditions, and the protection of professional rights.
Some health workers approached on Monday said a full strike had been declared starting last week, abandoning their previous partial industrial action after the government had ignored their demands but escalated intimidation against them.
The decision followed weeks of failed calls for the government to address dire working conditions exacerbated by Ethiopia’s economic crisis.
The Ethiopian Health Professionals Movement (EHPM), a coalition representing doctors, nurses, and allied health workers, circulated an “Urgent Call to Action” on social media, condemning what they describe as the government’s “campaign of suppression.”
The statement alleged authorities have responded to peaceful wage demands with arbitrary arrests, threats, and workplace harassment.
The government’s formal response came Thursday evening, sending a warning and declaring the planned strike “illegal.”
“Do not fear the consequences of this fight. We stand for our survival, dignity, profession, and the future of healthcare. United, we are unstoppable. Reject any attempts to divide us—solidarity is our strength. Now is the time. Together, we prevail,” EHPM said in a statement shared on Facebook, accompanied by hashtags like #NowOrNever and #HealthcareJustice.
Rights groups, including Amnesty International, have called for the immediate release of those arrested, warning that targeting essential workers during a healthcare crisis violates international norms.
EHPM reported more than 80 health workers have been detained so far over the past two weeks.
MG/as/APA