While government officials repeatedly trumpet that health services are “continuing without interruption,” the real story on the ground tells a very different—and more desperate—narrative. Despite proclamations from the Ministry of Health that hospitals and clinics remain operational under their watch , healthcare professionals across the country, especially in the Tigray and Oromia regions, have taken to the streets for the past eight days, demanding fair compensation, respect and a swift response to their urgent grievances .
Government statements, delivered by figures such as Minister of Health Dr. Mekdes Daba, insist that senior doctors and nurses have stepped in to patch up any temporary lapses in services. Yet these assurances appear to be little more than a smokescreen aimed at distracting from the core issues. Instead of meaningfully engaging with the health professionals’ demands, the ministry hypes a narrative of smooth operations—even when multiple teaching hospitals have seen noticeable service cuts. The government’s rhetoric of “continuity” rings hollow when those tasked with delivering care are forced into a strike amid conditions that no one should endure.
The heart of the matter is clear: members of Ethiopia health associations argue that government actions have been nothing short of disrespectful. In a scathing letter, the Tigray Medical Association lambasted the administration for not providing what is rightfully due to the health professionals, accusing the government of responding with “inappropriate action” and neglect while the country’s frontline workers are left battling hunger, fatigue, and unsafe working conditions . Similarly, the Oromia Doctors Association has fervently declared that no health professional should be expected to serve “while hungry, thirsty, sick, or without relief.” These testimonies expose a systemic failure to listen—and to act—when faced with a crisis that strikes at the core of healthcare integrity.
The situation grows even bleaker when one considers the ministry’s misplaced emphasis on preserving an image of unbroken service rather than addressing the root causes of discontent. Ministerial pronouncements that any disturbances caused by “confusion and intimidation” will be met with strict legal measures feel less like a genuine commitment to protecting public health and more like an attempt to silence dissent. By framing the regular, fundamental concerns of overworked and under-supported professionals as disruptions needing to be quashed, the Ministry of Health sidesteps its duty to foster an environment where health workers are respected and empowered.
It is clear that under the current Prosperity Party administration, short-term optics are being prioritized over sustainable, compassionate policy. As the strike persists, the pressing need for open, inclusive dialogue grows ever more urgent. The health professionals’ calls for a clear and direct discussion are not merely demands for better working conditions—they are cries for justice, for accountability, and for a government that genuinely values lives on the front line.
The time has come for the Prosperity Party and its Ministry of Health to step aside from empty assurances and take meaningful action. Instead of relying on superficial fixes and dismissing valid concerns, the government must engage directly with health professionals to implement reforms that guarantee fair wages, proper working conditions, and respect for their indispensable role. Until such changes are made, the community’s trust in a system that is supposedly “continuing without interruption” will continue to erode, leaving both the health sector and the nation at large in peril.
