Human Rights Watch (HRW) is urging Ethiopian authorities to cease their persecution of healthcare workers who have been striking for weeks, demanding improved pay.
In May, police reported detaining 47 health professionals involved in the nationwide industrial action, which has halted non-emergency services at public hospitals and teaching facilities.
An online collective of healthcare workers informed HRW that a total of 148 professionals were arrested between early May and early June, although this figure couldn’t be independently confirmed.
“Instead of addressing the legitimate concerns of healthcare workers regarding their livelihoods and safety, the Ethiopian government has resorted to repressive measures,” stated Laetitia Bader, HRW’s deputy Africa director.
She called on the government to immediately reinstate the Ethiopian Health Professionals Association and end the “threats and intimidation” faced by health staff.
The association was suspended earlier this month for backing the strike.
One surgeon told HRW he earns a mere $80 monthly, despite being among the highest-paid doctors.
“I can’t even afford new shoes,” he lamented.
“I can’t properly feed my child.”
Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, in office since 2018, recently acknowledged the validity of the workers’ demands but claimed the movement had been “co-opted by political interests.”
Ethiopia, with an estimated population of 130 million, is Africa’s second most populous nation, and a third of its citizens live on less than $2.15 per day, according to the World Bank.
