Addis Abeba — Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed's recent remarks in Parliament concerning the demands of healthcare professionals that led to widespread strikes have sparked discontent and doubt among healthcare practitioners, many of whom now question whether promises made to them will ever be fulfilled.
"Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed's speech in Parliament regarding the demands of healthcare professionals has raised questions about his credibility - whether the issues previously promised to us will be fulfilled," healthcare professionals who spoke with Addis Standard stated.
According to one healthcare professional who took part in earlier discussions and requested anonymity, two rounds of meetings were held following the submission of healthcare workers' demands. The first session was conducted from June 25 to 28, 2025 at Kuriftu Resort in Bishoftu, bringing together around 100 healthcare professionals from across the country. The group held detailed discussions with Health Minister Dr. Mekdes Daba and other senior ministry officials.
"The healthcare professionals, divided into four groups (with at least one Ministry of Health representative in each group), thoroughly reviewed our twelve demands and consolidated them under seven main agendas. We also laid out common solution directions," th professional said.
Follow us on WhatsApp | LinkedIn for the latest headlines
Following this, the Ministry "recorded the demands that could be resolved within their capacity" and "promised to provide us with answers by issuing regulations and directives within a very short period," the professional explained.
Subsequently, a second meeting was held with the Prime Minister himself, attended by over 300 healthcare professionals. During that session, four representatives presented the consolidated demands and proposed solutions directly to the Premier. However, the Prime Minister's response was described as "confusing."
The healthcare professional recounted, "The Prime Minister acknowledged the validity of our questions but said that 'politicians had interfered in the way the questions were framed."' Despite this, the professional said they remained hopeful: "Since some major promises were made to us, we are waiting with emphasis and hope to see if the implementation will be according to his word."
Nonetheless, disappointment followed. "What he said in Parliament contradicts the promise he made to us," the professional said, although the professional noted some of the comments were also echoed during the earlier discussion.
"[The Prime Minister] brought up numerous projects we had visited and said, 'Ethiopia will be free from begging in 15-20 years; we are building a country with a great vision for our children. Even if we are hungry, let's be patient and create hope for our children, let's sacrifice and participate in nation-building.' It was after saying this that he promised to address some of our demands soon."
Another healthcare worker who spoke with Addis Standard under the conditions of anonymity criticized the Prime Minister's suggestion in Parliament that "we agreed that we must sacrifice and transcend the country," calling the claim "far from the truth." The health worker noted, "He spoke contradictorily in Parliament," adding, "We demand an immediate answer to our existential questions."
The worker warned that if the government fails to provide "appropriate and tangible answers" within two months, they will launch a "major social awareness and rights advocacy campaign" in August, with a work stoppage planned for September.
A doctor who also participated in the previous discussions with the Prime Minister who spoke with Addis Standard under the conditions of anonymity said, "Our suffering is beyond our capacity; both our families and we are hungry."
The doctor recalled that salary and benefits improvements were promised during the meeting but expressed disappointment with Abiy's recent statements in Parliament, saying they "have raised a question of credibility for us."The healthcare professional is more determined than anyone else to face the country's problems and to help our country move forward," the doctor emphasized, adding, "If we have to sacrifice as a country, it shouldn't just be the healthcare professionals--everyone should fulfill their responsibility."
Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters
Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox
When Prime Minister Abiy recently addressed Parliament to respond to questions from council members, he remarked, "Our responsibility is to free our children from poverty by making sacrifices, so we agreed with the doctors to accept the suffering and lead Ethiopia forward."
MP Ababaw Dessalegn, a representative of the National Movement Amhara (NaMA) had earlier noted, "Government employees and the lower-income segment of society repeatedly state that they cannot cope with the current cost of living." He also recalled that healthcare professionals had raised their "basic demand for bread" through strike actions and accused the government of suppressing their demands by politicizing them
In response, the Prime Minister asserted, "There is no question about whether salaried employees have been affected; they have been affected." He insisted that the doctors' demands were not rejected or politicized but acknowledged that "there were people who tried to capitalize on this appropriate demand." He concluded, "We agreed with the doctors to accept the suffering and lead Ethiopia forward, shook hands, and parted ways."
