Addis Abeba — Over 300 staff members at Shone Primary Hospital in the Badawacho district, Hadiya zone of Central Ethiopia Regional State, are on strike since Friday, 19 June 2024, due to two months of delayed salaries, according to sources who spoke to Addis Standard.
A physician from Shone Hospital, speaking on condition of anonymity, reported that this marks the third strike this year in the region. The staff are demanding salaries for the months of May and June this year.
"The ongoing non-payment has made it difficult for us to afford basic necessities," the physician stated. He added that the hospital management and district administration have proposed paying only the June salary, a suggestion rejected by most workers.
Dr. Mohammed Ahmed, Medical Director of Shone Primary Hospital, confirmed to Addis Standard that there are issues with back payments at the district levels of Badawacho and Shone City, impacting the hospital's operations.
Dr. Mohammed explained that the finance administrator for the Badawacho district had requested identification of the number of workers and instructed them to sign the payroll for both months after receiving their June salaries only.
However, he disclosed that many workers have refused to sign, insisting on receiving both months' salaries first. He indicated that some employees accepted June's payment, while others declined, concerned about potentially forfeiting their May salaries.
The medical director shared that the hospital is currently operating at partial capacity, although some employees are still working. He noted that the hospital management has communicated these payment issues to the Hadiya zone administrator and the Central Ethiopia Regional State.
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In October 2023, Addis Standard reported a similar incident in the East Badawacho district of the Hadiya Zone, where government employees, including healthcare workers, stopped work due to three months of unpaid salaries. That event led to temporary closures of local public services.
Local officials attributed the problem to a widespread budget deficit that has affected several newly established regions splitting from the now defunct Southern Nations Nationalities and Peoples region (SNNPR).
A recent article by Addis Standard highlighted the broader financial crisis impacting public institutions in Ethiopia. The report emphasized how delays in salary payments have created significant anxiety and stress among educators, adversely affecting their morale and the overall quality of education. This financial hardship has led to challenges in maintaining effective teaching standards and operations within the education sector.
