Health practitioners that were at the forefront during the pandemic are dissatisfied with the after-treatment since their contractual agreement got terminated. About 436 medical employees of the Ministry of Health lost their job due to contract termination while they were hoping to get permanent employment. The professionals who had been serving on a contract basis since March 2019 received a notice of contract termination signed by Minister of Health Lia Tadesse (MD) last week. The letter was dispatched to respective hospitals assigning medical professionals across the country.

Following the Ministry's decision, more than 140 health professionals out of 436 whose contract was terminated submitted their complaints to the Prime Minister's Office dismayed that they were denied permanent job opportunities.

Recently the Ministry announced that of 5,912 health professionals who worked during the pandemic on a contract basis,  over 5,000 have become permanent employees. Kebede Worku (MD), Advisor at the Ministry, finds no reason in the grievance as they signed the contractual agreement knowing it was timebound.

Kebede said that the Ministry tried to address their issue and assign them to work for regional health bureaus.

"Unfortunately, they refused the offer," he said.

Health professionals such as Melese Bante argue that there was no such offer. Melese is a Health Officer who first has been hired at the Ethiopian Public Health Institute. He was assigned to work at the Mental Rehabilitation Center for the past two years. He said that he was hoping to receive a letter of permanent employment rather than contract termination.

"I was eagerly waiting," he told Fortune.

According to the Health Officer, the Prime Minister's Office has asked them to wait for a week following the complaint letter submission of over 300 medical professionals.

Physicians have also responded to the national call and joined the frontline to treat patients. Yafet Solomon (MD), 32, is among the doctors that left the private Hospital he has been working for. He graduated from Betel Teaching Hospital six years ago and worked at a private hospital for three years. He was first assigned to Millennium Covid Center. After working for two years in the ICU ward, he was assigned to move to Torhayloch Hospital for half a year.

He claims that this was the second time he has received a contract termination letter from the Ministry. He regrets the decision to leave his secured position as he was promised the same only to be left hanging without even getting six-month worth of overtime payment.