Health Sector on Edge as Unions Threaten Nationwide Strike
Officials from the Kenya Union of Clinical Officers (KUCO) and the Universal Health Coverage (UHC) Secretariat convene on 3rd Ngong Avenue, Nairobi, to address unfulfilled health sector promises and alleged mistreatment by county governments.
Kenya’s public health sector is staring at paralysis after seven unions under the Health Union Caucus issued a seven-day strike notice to county governments over unpaid salaries, stalled pay reviews and failure to absorb thousands of staff into permanent jobs.
Led by Kenya Union of Clinical Officers (KUCO) chairperson Washira Peterson, the caucus accused counties of ignoring directives from the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC), the Public Service Commission (PSC) and even presidential pledges to regularize contracts for health staff hired under Universal Health Coverage (UHC), the Global Fund and COVID-19 programs.
“Our members have been subjected to unnecessary suffering. The SRC gave clear circulars, the PSC issued transition directives, and even the President confirmed the government’s commitment to fund absorption. Yet counties have ignored all this,” Peterson said at a press briefing in Nairobi.
The caucus singled out Kiambu and Kirinyaga as the worst affected, citing stalled payments, union suppression and disregard of court orders. In Kiambu, doctors have been on strike for over 120 days, forcing the Ministry of Health to redeploy more than 700 health workers to neighboring counties.
Nairobi, Marsabit and Kiambu counties have also been flagged for months of unpaid salaries. “It is unacceptable that health workers are forced to offer services they themselves cannot afford,” said union leader George Gibore.
The unions further warned of a mental health crisis among staff, recalling the 2024 suicide of a Global Fund employee linked to salary delays. They renewed calls for a national Health Service Commission to centrally manage human resources while maintaining devolution.
“Counties must respect constitutional institutions. If they cannot, there has to be a mechanism that protects workers and guarantees Kenyans access to healthcare,” Peterson stressed.
Unless arrears are paid and staff regularized in line with the 2025/26 budget, the unions say they will mobilize doctors, nurses, clinical officers, laboratory technologists, nutritionists and pharmaceutical staff for a nationwide strike.
More than 25,000 Kiambu residents have already signed a petition appealing to President William Ruto to intervene and restore services.
If the strike goes ahead, it could become the largest coordinated health workers’ action since devolution, crippling public hospitals across all 47 counties.
