ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia — Human Rights Watch has accused Ethiopian authorities of systematically harassing health workers who have been on strike for months over wages, working conditions, and the deteriorating state of the country’s public health system.
In a strongly worded statement released Thursday, the rights group called on the Ethiopian government to immediately cease what it described as “intimidation, threats, and retaliatory measures” against medical staff exercising their constitutional right to protest.
“These are not just labor issues — they are human rights issues,” said Laetitia Bader, Horn of Africa Director at Human Rights Watch.
“The Ethiopian government must protect, not punish, the very people who have kept the country alive through pandemics, war, and humanitarian crises.”
The strikes, which began earlier this year in multiple regions including Oromia and Amhara, have drawn support from medical unions and civil society groups.
Workers have cited chronic understaffing, delayed salary payments, lack of basic protective equipment, and systemic neglect as primary reasons for their walkouts.
In response, health professionals say they have faced dismissals, forced transfers, and in some cases, threats of legal action.
One doctor in southern Ethiopia, speaking anonymously for fear of reprisal, said he was reassigned to a rural post hours after joining a peaceful demonstration in front of the regional health bureau.
“This is a deliberate tactic to break our resolve,” he said. “They want to isolate us and make examples of us.”
A Pattern of Suppression
The allegations come amid a broader pattern of government crackdowns on public-sector labor actions.
In May, the Ministry of Labor labeled certain coordinated strikes “acts of sabotage” and warned of “legal consequences for those inciting unrest.” Human rights advocates argue that such statements have only worsened an already fragile labor environment.
“Silencing essential workers sets a dangerous precedent,” said Fantu Tefera, a researcher with the Ethiopian Human Rights Council.
“Public servants are being treated as enemies of the state for asking for fair treatment.”
International observers have also taken note. The UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights has requested further information from Ethiopian authorities on reported abuses against striking health workers, while several aid agencies have urged mediation.
A Health System at Risk
Ethiopia’s healthcare system has faced extraordinary strain over the past five years, grappling with the COVID-19 pandemic, armed conflict in the north, and repeated funding shortfalls.
The strikes have now added further pressure on hospitals already stretched thin, with some urban centers reporting service disruptions in maternal care, emergency units, and HIV treatment programs.
In Addis Ababa’s largest public hospital, a senior nurse told All East Africa that morale was “at an all-time low,” and many staff feel “abandoned and punished” by the very institutions they serve.
“Health care is being treated like a privilege, not a right,” she said.
Human Rights Watch has urged the government to engage in good-faith negotiations with health workers, end retaliatory measures, and uphold its obligations under international labor conventions and Ethiopia’s own constitution.
As of Friday, government officials had not publicly responded to the report.
© All East Africa – all rights reserved
