Health professionals across Ethiopia have launched a unified social media campaign calling for fair compensation, better health insurance coverage, and improved benefits. Organizers of the movement revealed that they are preparing to submit a formal letter to the authorities, listing ten key demands with a deadline attached. If their concerns are not addressed, they have warned that a strike could follow.
Doctors, nurses, specialists, and surgeons are using social media platforms to voice their concerns, employing hashtags such as #HealthWorkersMatter, #PayHealthWorkersFairly, and #HealthForAll.
In an exclusive interview with Addis Standard, one health professional—who wished to remain anonymous for security reasons—explained that prior attempts to formally present their grievances to relevant institutions had been met with silence. “The lack of response, coupled with the rising cost of living, led us to launch this coordinated campaign,” they shared.
The health worker stressed that this issue is about basic rights, not politics. “The central issue is that health professionals’ salaries are disproportionately low in comparison to their workload and the cost of living,” they stated.
They also pointed out the vulnerabilities that health professionals face under the current economic strain. “There have been times when health workers couldn’t afford treatment for themselves when sick, forcing them to beg for help,” they explained. “Some of us are unable to even pay rent or meet basic living expenses.”
While salary remains the core issue, the health professional also highlighted the importance of health insurance and other essential benefits. This practitioner, who has been working in the sector for five years, shared that their monthly salary is 7,600 birr. “Even though I have a family to support, I struggle to support myself, let alone my parents,” they said.
The emotional and financial pressures are taking a toll, the health worker noted. “Medical professionals are under significant stress due to the high cost of living, rent, and transportation,” they added. “For instance, I haven’t been able to start my own family because of these financial pressures. It’s frustrating, especially since I’m at an age where I should be building a family, but I simply can’t afford it.”
Addis Standard has reviewed a letter from the campaign organizers that outlines their ten key demands and includes a 30-day deadline for authorities to address the issues. If the authorities fail to meet this deadline, the letter warns that further action, including a possible work stoppage, could follow.
Another health worker, who also asked for anonymity, explained the purpose behind this letter to Addis Standard. The worker noted that while health professionals had initially raised their concerns on social media, they are now taking steps to submit their demands through a more formal and coordinated process, including the collection of online signatures.
The health worker further emphasized the urgency of the situation. “Some of us are struggling to eat twice a day. This issue, which directly concerns health, affects many people and demands an urgent solution,” they said.
In addition to addressing salary concerns, the health workers are advocating for health insurance coverage. They explained that medical professionals face significant risks when treating infectious diseases, and having health insurance is crucial for their well-being. Furthermore, the workers are also calling for affordable housing, an issue they raised with the authorities in the past but have yet to receive a response to.
“Some of us have paid fees and signed agreements with Dashen Bank and Gojo Bridge for housing solutions, but after paying, we were informed that the arrangements were not possible, and our fees were returned,” one practitioner explained. “This has contributed to the increasing difficulties of affording rent.”
The health professional noted that the growing financial pressures have led many medical workers to take action. “We are united in our demands for these rights, and a peaceful social media campaign is currently underway. We are also preparing to formally submit a letter to the relevant authorities,” they added.
Several reports by Addis Standard indicate that the health sector in Ethiopia is facing a range of challenges, including rising security risks, a shortage of medical supplies, and inadequate access to basic amenities, particularly in rural areas. These issues have led to widespread discontent among health workers and a concentration of professionals in major urban centers. This urban clustering, however, has resulted in high unemployment rates among doctors, despite the fact that Ethiopia’s health workforce density is just 1.0 per 1,000 people—well below the UN Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) target of 4.5 per 1,000.
