Doctors' strike persist as health crisis deepens in Kiambu county

The public health system in Kiambu County has been paralysed for 55 days as doctors continue their strike, demanding long-overdue reforms from the county government.

The Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU) is accusing the county of defying court orders and turning a blind eye to the collapsing healthcare infrastructure.

Speaking on Monday in Nairobi after a meeting with Kiambu doctors, KMPDU Secretary General Dr Davji Atellah declared that the union will not call off the strike until the county complies with existing court directives and meets the doctors' demands.

“This is day 55 of the strike and we see no effort from the county to resolve this crisis. The Kiambu County Government has blatantly ignored multiple court summons. We expect the court to take decisive action on July 23—including jailing officials responsible for contempt,” said Dr Atellah.

The strike, which began in May 2025, has crippled services across Kiambu’s public hospitals and health centres. Doctors cite unpaid salary arrears, lack of medical cover, delayed promotions, and poor working conditions as core grievances. Some doctors have allegedly gone months without pay, while others remain on probation or intern pay despite serving in consultant roles. 

KMPDU has further written to the Ministry of Health requesting the immediate transfer of 150 medical interns posted to Kiambu in 2024. The union says the county has failed to provide a conducive working environment for the interns, who are being forced to operate without proper supervision due to the ongoing strike.

“There is no point in having interns stationed in a county where even the basic infrastructure for healthcare delivery is broken. They are working under unsafe, unsupported conditions,” Dr Atellah added.

He further revealed that the union has convened a National Advisory Council meeting to deliberate on the crisis and will stage a major demonstration in Kiambu on Thursday.

According to Dr Atellah, the county has not implemented agreements reached on May 8, 2025, and has consistently ignored court orders directing it to do so. “The court cited the county secretary and Kiambu’s management for contempt. Yet, the county remains unmoved. It’s a dangerous show of impunity,” he said.

Doctors also claim retaliation and arbitrary transfers have become the norm for those who raise concerns about drug shortages or equipment failures. “If you speak up about missing ambulances or lack of essential supplies, you are quickly transferred,” Dr Atellah noted.

He described the situation as unsustainable, not just for healthcare workers but for the residents who rely on public hospitals.

“Doctors are tired of supervising death in facilities that lack resources. We have no medical cover. Every two or three months, we are forced to contribute among ourselves to care for our own. That is not how a health system should function.”

The union’s Chairperson, Dr Kevin Kihara, issued a warning to Kiambu residents. “You need to know that the person in a lab coat attending to you in a Kiambu public hospital today is not a certified doctor but an intern. And those interns are being forced to perform duties far beyond their level of training without supervision.”

Dr Kihara said the interns have been cajoled into creating a false image of normalcy. “This is a dangerous cover-up. Healthcare in Kiambu has collapsed. Any patient walking into a facility today is putting their life at risk.”

The union confirmed that while the Ministry of health had tried to mediate a meeting with Kiambu County officials, the governor and senior leadership failed to attend.

“The CS for Health is aware of these issues. They’ve been raised repeatedly. These are not new demands. We went on strike last year over the same issues: medical cover, promotions, staffing. Nothing has changed,” he said.

With another court-mandated negotiation deadline already missed last week, doctors say the county has left them with no choice but to remain on strike indefinitely.

“We are not on strike by choice. We were pushed out of the hospitals by a county that refuses to honour its obligations,” said Dr Atellah. “We’re dealing with officials who believe they are above the law.”