Addis Abeba — Health professionals across Oromia are demanding that the regional government calculate overtime payments based on recent salary adjustments, in line with federal directives aimed at standardizing compensation nationwide.
A health professional at Bale Robe General Hospital told Addis Standard that their demand is simply for the implementation of the national guideline governing duty calculations based on the revised salary structure.
"We were told there is no budget to cover the new salary adjustment. We received overtime payments based on the revised salary for two months, after which the payments stopped," the health professional said.
A physician at Guder Hospital similarly confirmed that duty payments for September and October were disbursed based on the new salary. However, the physician said that hospital leadership was later summoned and instructed not to make payments based on the "new salary." The physician added that the term "old salary" was not clearly defined, creating confusion, particularly in light of career progression and educational advancement.
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As a result, the physician said they are demanding what they described as their legal entitlement, arguing that the decision lacks a formal paper trail and is therefore unlawful.
Both health professionals said they intend to continue pressing their demands until the issue is resolved.
Responding to complaints raised by healthcare workers, Professor Netsanet Workneh, Head of the Oromia Health Bureau, told Addis Standard that the decision was taken at the regional level and declined to provide further details. While acknowledging that the workers are entitled to the adjusted duty pay, she said they have been asked to remain patient until the necessary budget amendments are completed, adding, "We are not saying they do not have the right to it."
Professor Netsanet stated that the measure is intended to be temporary and subject to revision once budgetary adjustments are made. When asked about the duration of the decision, she declined to comment.
Earlier this month, Health professionals in the Oromia region are raising concerns over what they describe as the regional government's failure to calculate overtime payments based on recent salary adjustments, despite federal directives aimed at standardizing compensation across the country.
Health workers who spoke to Addis Standard alleged that while the federal government has introduced reforms to improve the payment system, the Oromia regional administration has failed to implement the adjusted overtime calculations.
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The Oromia Physicians Association (OPA) confirmed that overtime payments in the region continue to be calculated based on previous salary scales, despite recent salary adjustments.
Dr. Belayneh Leta, the president of the OPA, told Addis Standard that the OPA's executive committee had "extensively" investigated the complaints and concluded that current practice "contradicts established legal directives." He said the association has formally submitted a written complaint to the Oromia Health Bureau.
In May, health professionals in various parts of Ethiopia staged a nationwide partial strike, during which participants reported facing intimidation and pressure from local authorities. The action followed a month-long campaign coordinated by health professionals, calling for salary adjustments, improved benefits, and better working conditions.
The protest later escalated into a full strike, leaving major hospitals in Addis Abeba and other parts of the country largely non-operational on Monday, 19 May 2025. The escalation followed a call by the Ethiopian Health Professionals Movement for a complete work stoppage. The government responded to the strike through arrests, reports of intimidation, and alleged rights violations, drawing condemnation from several human rights groups.
