Mekelle, Tigray — May 15, 2025
Health professionals at Ayder Referral Hospital in Mekelle have joined the nationwide strike, demanding fair wages, improved benefits, and humane working conditions.
As of this morning, all non-emergency services at the hospital have been suspended, leaving only emergency and ICU operations running. The strike is part of a growing movement across Ethiopia, as thousands of health professionals take a stand against government inaction.
A healthcare worker at Ayder, speaking anonymously to Deutsche Welle, said:
“If the government continues to ignore our demands, even the remaining critical services may be halted. We are not asking for luxuries—we are asking to live with dignity.”
Medical professionals argue that the government’s failure to respond signals not just neglect of their rights, but a failure to uphold its responsibility to the public.
