Healthcare workers say they have been “arbitrarily rounded up” by security forces in multiple locations in Ethiopia amid a partial national strike by health professionals that entered the third day on Thursday.
In an exclusive statement to Addis Standard, the Amnesty International ‘East and Southern Africa Regioal Office has expressed concern that what is called a “crash” on healthcare professionals is not an isolated incident, but is part of a wider trend that “agency has frequently been challenged by authorities and crack down on them, including targeting “human rights defendants and journalists.”
Amnesty also said it received “from the Association of Healthcare Professionals.” “President Jonathan Dagnaudou was “arrested on May 4, 2025 and is still in custody.”
The organization called on authorities to “end harassment of medical professionals to exercise freedom of expression and peaceful assembly” and to “quickly release Jonathan and Jonathan and all other medical workers voluntarily detained.”
Healthcare professionals are currently calling for a “partial, peaceful strike” that calls for improved wages and working conditions, according to the statement. Amnesty urged authorities to “respect the rights of professionals to engage in peaceful strikes” and to ensure that “law enforcement agencies respect, promote and protect protesters.”
A statement from Amnesty International is as partial national strikes by healthcare workers continue to report multiple reports of detention and threats.
In the Sidama area of the town of Lek, family members Dr. Dereje, an obstetrician and gynecologist at Lek General Hospital, told Addis Standard on Tuesday, May 14th, that he was “taken by security forces.” Sources said the doctor “executed the operation around 2pm” and returned to the hospital’s compound residence when “armed personnel took him away” around 5pm. The family described the incident as “unexpected and terrifying.”
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According to the same source, Dr. Dereje said he had “surgeries scheduled at 8pm” that night, emphasizing that he was the facility’s “only obstetrician and gynecologist.” “When the family tried to ask where they had been taken, the officer replied, “It’s an order from above. We don’t know anything about it.”
Addis Standard previously reported that on the second day of the strike, several medical professionals and medical students were detained in various hospitals, including St. Paul Hospital Millennium Medical College, where three trainees (two interns and one student) were arrested.
This follows the first day of the strike on Tuesday, May 13th, when Addis Standard reported that Ethiopian health professionals faced threats and pressure from local governments as they tried to take part in the strike.
The strike follows a month-long online mobilization under hashtags such as #healthworkersmatter and #payhealthworkersfairly. This was a prior protest coordinated in several regions. This includes the Tibebe Ghion comprehensive specialty hospital where experts have called for long-term reforms in the health sector.
The effort by Addis Standard to obtain comments directly and via written requests from the Ministry of Health has failed.
