Ethiopia: Hospitals in Addis Abeba, Various Regional States Remain Largely Non-Operational As Ethiopian Health Professionals Launch Full Strike

Addis Abeba– Several major hospitals in Addis Abeba and various parts of the country remained largely non-operational on Monday, 19 May, as the nationwide strike by healthcare professionals entered its sixth day and escalated following a call by the Ethiopian Health Professionals Movement for a full work stoppage.

During early morning visits to three major hospitals–Menelik II Referral Hospital, Zewditu Memorial Hospital, and Yekatit 12 Medical College Hospital–Addis Standard observed widespread disruption to services, with only limited emergency care units continuing to function.

At Zewditu Memorial Hospital, during a visit conducted at 10:00 a.m., Addis Standard observed several individuals being turned away at the hospital’s main gate. Inside the facility, care was limited to patients with prior appointments or those returning for follow-up consultations. The outpatient department and examination rooms were closed, and the laboratory section was vacant, with no staff observed on duty. Only the emergency, maternity, and intensive care units were operational.

At Yekatit 12 Medical College Hospital, Addis Standard visited the facility at 9:45 a.m. and observed that departments including orthopedics, neurology, laboratory, outpatient, endoscopy, and physiotherapy were not providing services.

One hospital staff member told Addis Standard, “As of this morning, none of the healthcare workers have reported to duty. We’re unable to respond to patient inquiries, as this falls outside our responsibilities.” The staff member added, “At the moment, only the emergency department is operational, where patients with injuries from accidents, bleeding cases, and other critical emergencies are receiving care. No other units are functioning because healthcare workers are on strike”

During the visit, Addis Standard observed very few healthcare professionals in uniform on the hospital premises, and most administrative offices were closed. Patients holding registration cards and documents were seen waiting for hours, though no consultations appeared to be taking place.

At Menelik II General Specialized Hospital, a visit conducted around 9:00 a.m. revealed similar disruptions. Patients with appointment slips and new treatment cards were waiting outside closed departments. Most treatment units were shut, and those that were open appeared empty, with no medical staff present.

A patient waiting near the entrance told Addis Standard, “They collected our cards earlier in the day–one of the young workers took them–but we’ve been waiting for hours. It doesn’t seem like anyone is available to treat us.”

While emergency, ICU, and inpatient services continued, Addis Standard observed that all outpatient, diagnostic, and specialized treatment departments had halted operations.

Health professionals have been on a partial strike since Tuesday, 13 May, demanding improved pay, better working conditions, and protection of their rights. The strike, which followed online campaigns under hashtags such as #HealthWorkersMatter, was preceded by protests and has drawn reports of intimidation and arrests by authorities.

The Ministry of Health, meanwhile, warned that “strikes in the health sector are legally prohibited” and ordered professionals to “return to work.” It claimed some were misled by “false information,” while others acted with “malicious intentions.” The Ministry later said it held a second round of talks with professional associations to discuss “current health service delivery and professional issues,” adding that agreements were reached to enhance “cooperation and coordination.”

Despite the Ministry’s warnings, health professionals continued to leave their posts, with walkouts reported at Wolkite University Specialized Hospital and the University of Gondar Comprehensive Specialized Hospital. At the end of last week, the Ethiopian Health Professionals Movement announced that a full work stoppage would begin on 19 May 2025.

Over the weekend, the Ethiopian Medical Association (EMA), Ethiopia’s largest professional body of physicians, called for the immediate release of detained health professionals and urged authorities to respond promptly to their demands.

The strike has also intensified in health facilities outside the capital since the call for a full work stoppage. In Asella town, Arsi Zone, health professionals at Asella Referral and Teaching Hospital said the facility had entered what they described as a “full strike,” with no residents or medical interns present at their workstations.

A health professional told Addis Standard that “all residents and interns have joined the full strike,” though “some patients and a few nurses” remain in the wards. In the emergency unit, the source added, “only some general practitioners and nurses are available.”

Another professional similarly stated that the hospital is “under full strike,” describing a situation in which “residents and medical interns are not available at the workplace,” and said the wards are “almost entirely empty.”

At Salale University Comprehensive Specialized Hospital, located in Fitche town of the North Shewa Zone, a health professional told Addis Standard that general practitioners at the facility “are participating in the full strike,” while “other staff members are still working.”

The source also noted that hospital administrators have turned to medical students to manage daily operations. “They have distributed fifth-year medical students to cover the majority of the workload,” the professional said, stressing that “these students are yet to be qualified to work without supervision.”

Another health professional at Madda Walabu University (MWU) Goba Referral Hospital in Bale Zone, Oromia region, told Addis Standard that “since early this morning, all health professionals have stopped work,” marking a shift from the earlier partial strike to what he described as “a complete work stoppage.”