Borkena
Toronto – The number of health professionals the Ethiopian government arrested since the start of the peaceful strike over a livable salary has now reached over one hundred, according to local Ethiopian news sources.
Ethiopian Health Professionals Movement social media page on Wednesday reported, citing Amnesty International, that in Addis Ababa alone over 20 are detained incommunicado. Amnesty East Africa has reportedly called for unconditional release of health professionals.
Among the latest arrests include Dr. Mahlet Gush Gebrewold (pathologist) and Dr. Samuel Hailu (Orthopedist specialist).
In addition to Addis Ababa, arrests have been made in many other towns across the country. The Ethiopian Human Rights Commission (EHRC) on Wednesday released a statement confirming the arrest of medical professionals due to the ongoing strike. It indicated that it has gathered information from Addis Ababa, Agaro, Arbaminch, Bahir Dar, Fiche, Goba, Hawassa and Jimma.
The government alleges that those arrested have been “mobilizing for the strike on social media” and “intimidating their colleagues” who did not join the strike.
The government see’s health professionals’ demand for a livable wage and the subsequent strike rather as “politically motivated” and one that is mobilized by “anti-peace forces” including unspecified actors in the diaspora.
Some have appeared in court charted with “inciting riot and unrest.”
Ethiopian Health Professionals have been demanding, for more than four weeks, the government to address poor working conditions and livable salary demands. This week, they started a full strike after the government failed to take meaningful action to address their situation.
Credible sources from Ethiopia indicate that most hospitals across the country are taking part in the strike. This has created a crisis like situation on patient care and the entire health care service.
The Ethiopian Human Rights Commission stated that it spoke to the Ministry of Health and other relevant government officials ,and gathered information from major hospitals in the capital including Tikur Anbesa, Paulos, Petros and Dagmawi Menelik. It said it has confirmed that patients are not getting medical treatment due to shortage of physicians. Referrals from regions who have been waiting for days are also not getting treatment.
Apart from arresting hundreds of professionals, the government this week threatened them with license revocations. It also made moves to use intern students. However, none of these measures do not seem to be working as the strike is still underway in most parts of Ethiopia.
EHRC urged the government to peacefully resolve their demands.
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