Ethiopia’s healthcare system is on the verge of collapse. This week, thousands of healthcare workers—including senior doctors, residents, nurses, midwives, lab technicians, and medical interns—have begun a nationwide partial strike, disrupting care in major hospitals
While patients suffer in silence, doctors are speaking out. But depending on where they are in the world, their voices are either respected—or silenced.
Over the past week, Ethiopia has entered a dangerous chapter in its healthcare history: a national strike involving doctors, nurses, midwives, lab technicians, interns, and other frontline professionals. Major hospitals such as Tikur Anbessa, St. Paul’s, and the University of Gondar are operating with skeleton crews, offering only emergency services.
This crisis isn’t just a disruption—it’s a warning sign. And to understand its gravity, it’s worth comparing it to a recent strike in the United Kingdom, where healthcare workers protested under very different circumstances—with very different outcomes.
What Sparked the Ethiopian Healthcare Strike?
Ethiopian healthcare professionals have long endured severe underpayment, unsafe working conditions, staff shortages, and a lack of insurance and transport support. For months, they issued warnings. They submitted formal grievances. They gave the government time to respond.
But nothing changed. Instead of answers, they got silence—and now, intimidation.
Professionals across the country have taken part in a coordinated partial strike, halting non-emergency services. Their message is clear: the system is collapsing, and without urgent reform, the consequences will be catastrophic.
A Different Picture: The UK Junior Doctor Strike
In contrast, the UK saw its own wave of unrest in late 2023 and early 2024 when junior doctors went on strike over pay erosion and deteriorating work conditions. Like their Ethiopian counterparts, they kept emergency services running while pausing other care.
The British government at first resisted, but after public pressure, media coverage, and continued negotiation with the British Medical Association (BMA), it agreed to incremental pay rises between 6–10%. The strike was treated as a legal right, not a crime. No arrests. No threats. No intimidation.
Ethiopia’s Alarming Response: Intimidation Over Dialogue
Instead of engaging with its healthcare workforce, the Ethiopian government responded with arrests, threats, and silence.
Reports from reputable sources, including the BBC, indicate that doctors have been detained, and hospital administrators are issuing ultimatums: return to work or face disciplinary action. There is no transparent negotiation, and no recognized union or association empowered to speak on behalf of striking professionals.
A 2017 legal proclamation—Proclamation No. 1353/2017—is being used to justify this crackdown. It effectively bans strikes by healthcare workers, leaving them without any legal pathway to demand better conditions.
Public Impact: UK vs. Ethiopia
In the UK, the strike led to over 1.5 million cancelled procedures and an estimated £3 billion in costs. However, the public largely stood behind the doctors, recognizing the long-term stakes: a sustainable NHS. Emergency care remained intact, and patient safety was prioritized. Read more on the Guardian
In Ethiopia, the full impact is harder to measure. Surgeries are being cancelled, and non-emergency services have stopped in many hospitals. But due to limited media coverage and official silence, the scale of the crisis remains underreported. With regarding this Public awareness is growing—but so is frustration.
Ethiopia vs. UK: A Side-by-Side Comparison
| Issue | UK | Ethiopia |
|---|---|---|
| Legal strike recognition | Yes – Protected by labor laws | No – Strikes considered unlawful |
| Government response | Negotiation & dialogue | Arrests, threats, no talks |
| Pay adjustment | 6–10% increase (some up to 22.3%) | No adjustment; among lowest-paid in Africa |
| Public support | Mixed but generally supportive | Growing, but limited by media coverage |
| Impact on services | Managed with emergency coverage | Surgeries canceled, major disruption |
| Outcome | Partial success, continued dialogue | Ongoing crisis, potential collapse |
What’s at Risk in Ethiopia?
If the Ethiopian government continues to respond with force instead of reform, the outcome could be devastating:
- Critical care interruptions will worsen.
- More healthcare workers may leave the country or profession entirely.
- Medical students and residents may be discouraged from continuing.
- Trust between the public and the health system will deteriorate.
- The already fragile system could collapse beyond repair.
Some hospitals are now calling on former interns to return on “controlled contracts.” But asking unprotected, unpaid workers to fill in during a national crisis is not a solution—it’s a red flag.
Public Sentiment: Cautious Hope or Controlled Silence?
In the UK, despite the inconvenience, the public largely understood the doctors’ demands. They knew this wasn’t just about pay—it was about preserving the future of healthcare.
In Ethiopia, awareness is finally growing, but the government’s attempts to politicize the strike and silence professionals are muddying the waters. Officials are accusing striking workers of having hidden agendas, while hospitals are falling apart. This is not politics—it’s survival.
The Road to Resolution
In the UK, the strike led to:
- Formal negotiations
- Legal recognition of industrial action
- Incremental salary increases
- Zero arrests or criminalization
In Ethiopia:
- There is no official negotiation
- Healthcare workers are being arrested and threatened
- The legal framework blocks professional advocacy
- The system is deteriorating rapidly
What Must Be Done – Before It’s Too Late
Ethiopia’s healthcare professionals are not asking for luxury. They are asking for dignity, safety, and the ability to serve patients without risking their own lives and livelihoods. These are not political demands—they are moral imperatives.
The Ethiopian government must:
- Immediately release detained healthcare workers
- Stop threatening and intimidating professionals
- Begin transparent, structured negotiations
- Recognize the strike as a legitimate expression of systemic failure
- Invest in long-term health sector reform
Final Word: Listen Before the Silence Becomes a Tragedy
Healthcare professionals are not enemies of the state. They are healers. They are the last line of defense for every mother giving birth, every child with fever, every patient in need of care.
Criminalizing their voice will only push the system closer to the edge.
Let us learn from the UK, where dialogue—not detention—led to a solution. And let us act now—before the silence of our hospitals becomes a national tragedy we cannot undo.