Tensions Rise as Ethiopian Health Professionals Push Back Against Government Warning: “We Cannot Be Silenced”

Getahun Tsegaye
Staff Reporter 

Addis Ababa —The Ethiopian Public Health Association (EPHA) on Thursday issued a strongly worded statement condemning the Ministry of Health’s (MoH) latest directive. The Ministry had, just a day earlier, warned healthcare workers to immediately halt strike actions and resume duties—labeling the walkouts as “unethical” and “a betrayal of public trust.”

The EPHA spoke plainly in its response, calling the Ministry’s move a “dismissive response” and “a blatant display of arrogance.” The association accused the MoH of ignoring the legitimate demands of the country’s health workers, who have been raising grievances for more than a month : 

“For over 30 days, we have been calling for dialogue—constructive, open, and respectful dialogue,” the EPHA statement read. “Instead, we’ve received silence, threats, and misinformation. This is an insult to our intelligence and our profession” 

The warning period from health professionals reportedly began in mid-April 2025, when doctors, nurses, and medical residents across several public hospitals began voicing concerns over deteriorating working conditions, lack of fair compensation, and safety issues.

The tension reached new heights this week after the Ministry of Health publicly condemned the strike and claimed that many healthcare workers were “misled by false information,” while alleging others were “intentionally causing disruption.”

“This is not just a betrayal of the public trust—it is an act devoid of humanity and professional ethics,” the Ministry said in its May 14 statement. “It puts the lives of family members, neighbors, and the wider society at risk.”

However, EPHA swiftly refuted these accusations, saying the Ministry’s assertion that hospitals are “fully functioning” was “a gross misrepresentation of reality.”

“We demand that the Ministry verify facts before misleading the public,” the association insisted. “Several hospitals have publicly acknowledged severe service disruptions, including a shortage of staff due to the ongoing strike.”

EPHA has also cited reports of detention of medical personnel in various parts of the country. 

According to EPHA and corroborated by independent reports from Borkena News, on the night of May 15, several resident doctors at Gondar Specialized Hospital were taken by government vehicles to undisclosed locations.

“We strongly condemn the unlawful detention of our colleagues,” the EPHA said. “This kind of repression only deepens the crisis. Intimidation will not silence us.”

Additional testimonies from Dessie Referral Hospital reveal that some healthcare workers have gone into hiding amid fears of arrest.

“I’ve locked myself in my house,” one medical staff member told Borkena anonymously. “We are not criminals. We are only asking for fair pay, better working conditions, and a dignified profession. We have no political agenda.”

In its statement, the EPHA warned the government that if meaningful negotiations are not initiated soon, a full and indefinite nationwide strike will commence starting Monday, May 19.

“If the Ministry continues to evade accountability and resorts to coercion, we will have no choice,” the statement read. “The healthcare system cannot function without its professionals. The consequences of negligence will be irreversible.”

The Ethiopian Public Health Association (EPHA) outlined three core demands in its recent statement. First, it called for transparent and time-bound responses to all submitted “survival questions.” Second, the association demanded the immediate release of detained healthcare professionals and an end to the ongoing harassment against them. Finally, the EPHA emphasized the need for a credible negotiation framework to effectively address the pressing grievances.

In contrast, the Ministry reaffirmed its stance, stating that legal consequences would follow for anyone who incites unrest or disrupts medical services. It called on all health workers to return to their posts and emphasized its ongoing efforts to reform the sector.

“The government remains committed to ensuring the long-term welfare of health professionals through evidence-based policies,” the Ministry said, pointing to the enforcement of Proclamation No. 1362/2017, which establishes standards for healthcare service delivery and administration.

As the countdown to the indefinite strike approaches, the question now looms: Will the Ethiopian government listen to the voices of its frontline workers—or push the nation’s fragile health system into a deeper crisis?

__

Subscribe  : https://borkena.com/subscribe-borkena/ 

Join our Telegram Channel : t.me/borkena

Like borkena on Facebook

Add your business to Ethiopian Business Listing / Ethiopian Business Directory  Business Listing Toronto 

Join the conversation. Follow us on X (Formerly Twitter)  @zborkena to get the latest Ethiopian News updates regularly.  Subscribe to YouTube channel To share information or for submission, send e-mail to info@borkena.com