The government has announced that medical interns will be officially posted beginning July 1, 2025, in a move aimed at addressing the growing concerns within Kenya’s healthcare sector. Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale confirmed the posting date following a high-level meeting with representatives from the Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists, and Dentists Union (KMPDU). During the meeting, Duale emphasized the government’s commitment to resolving long-standing issues affecting medical professionals, particularly interns awaiting placement and those facing delayed salary payments.
In his address, Duale reiterated that preparations were underway to ensure all pending intern postings would be completed by the end of June, ahead of the official deployment in July. He also noted that the Ministry of Health, in collaboration with the Treasury, was working to expand the number of facilities capable of accommodating medical interns. This initiative is seen as critical, not only for improving internship opportunities but also for easing the burden on overworked healthcare institutions across the country.
Equally significant was Duale’s assurance that salary arrears for medical interns and other national government health workers would be addressed within the month of April. “We want to commit to you, the leadership, and to the country that the posting of the internships will be done on the first of July. You have that commitment. The parties agreed that payment of outstanding salary arrears of the national government employees was to be effected in April 2025, and we are going to do it. We have committed. We are in April, and we will do it,” he declared.
This announcement follows growing unrest in the medical sector, with the KMPDU voicing frustrations over delays in postings, non-payment of dues, and deteriorating working conditions. KMPDU Secretary General Davji Atellah welcomed the meeting as a positive step toward de-escalating tensions. He stressed the union’s preference for negotiation over industrial action but warned that members were growing increasingly frustrated by unfulfilled promises.
Atellah described the session with the Cabinet Secretary as a final effort to avert a planned doctors’ strike. Doctors in various counties, notably Kakamega, have already issued a 14-day strike notice, citing a failure by county governments to implement key changes, including promotions for eligible doctors, provision of adequate health insurance, and hiring more medical personnel.
A letter addressed to Kakamega County Secretary Lawrence Omuhaka highlighted grievances ranging from lack of medical cover for healthcare workers to a persistent staff shortage that has jeopardized service delivery in public hospitals. According to the union, previous attempts at resolving these disputes through the Ministry of Labour and local arbitration have failed, prompting doctors to consider withdrawal of services as a last resort.
Atellah expressed concern over the health risks doctors face due to inadequate insurance, describing it as ironic and deeply troubling that those entrusted with public health lack access to sufficient medical care themselves. He also criticised Kakamega County for its reluctance to bolster staffing in the face of mounting pressure on healthcare services.
The national government’s pledge to address intern placements and salary arrears offers a temporary reprieve, but with county-level grievances still unresolved, the threat of a wider strike looms. The coming weeks will be pivotal in determining whether dialogue can prevail over confrontation in restoring stability to Kenya’s health sector.
