Nairobi County doctors, including those formerly under the Nairobi Metropolitan Services (NMS), have declared an indefinite strike starting at midnight on February 27, 2025. The industrial action, announced by the Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists, and Dentists Union (KMPDU), is driven by grievances such as persistent salary delays, stalled promotions, illegal dismissals, and the failure to process gratuity payments and confirmation letters.
In a statement released on Wednesday, KMPDU emphasized that the strike was not a choice but a necessity due to the unaddressed concerns of healthcare professionals. The union stressed that doctors cannot be expected to provide quality healthcare when they are continually undermined and demoralized.
“Doctors do not choose to strike, but how can we care for patients when we are deliberately incapacitated? For quality healthcare, doctors must be valued, supported, and empowered to serve,” the statement read.
This strike comes after prolonged disputes between the medical fraternity and the government, with doctors repeatedly raising concerns over poor working conditions and financial insecurity.
The industrial action follows a 30-day strike notice issued by KMPDU Secretary General Davji Atellah, warning of widespread protests if the government did not address their demands. Atellah had set a deadline for March 18, 2025, after which doctors vowed to organize weekly demonstrations should their concerns remain unresolved.
“We are giving the government 30 days to solve this issue of payment and posting of medical interns. Otherwise, on March 18, 2025, we will start a series of weekly demonstrations,” Atellah stated.
Tensions escalated following remarks by Health Cabinet Secretary Deborah Barasa during the Health Summit 2025, held at Deputy President Kithure Kindiki’s residence on February 17. In a widely circulated video, Barasa announced that the government would pay the new cohort of medical interns Sh70,000 instead of the Sh206,000 stipulated in the 2017 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).
Her statement contradicted an earlier agreement reached on December 19, 2024, between doctors and the Ministry of Health, which had prevented a nationwide strike scheduled for December 22, 2024. This agreement, also signed by the Council of Governors (CoG), reaffirmed that intern doctors should receive Sh206,000, as per the 2017 CBA.
“During our meeting in November/December, we talked about Sh206,000, but for the new cohort, we’re talking about Sh70,000, and so negotiations will start to ensure that this is implemented,” Barasa stated.
Reacting to the CS’s remarks, Atellah cautioned the government against tampering with doctors’ salaries, warning of inevitable repercussions.
“Anytime you touch our salaries, you are inadvertently giving yourselves a strike notice as the government. CS Barasa, consider it served,” Atellah wrote on his X account.
The looming strike is set to disrupt operations in Nairobi’s public hospitals, leaving thousands of patients without access to essential medical services.
Despite the gravity of the situation, Nairobi County health officials are yet to issue a formal response to the planned strike. Previous disputes between the county government and healthcare workers have often led to prolonged negotiations, but the failure to meet commitments has continued to fuel unrest among medical professionals.
With the February 27 strike drawing closer, the government faces mounting pressure to resolve the crisis and prevent further disruptions to the healthcare system. However, if past engagements are any indication, the road to resolution may be long and complex.
As the standoff continues, the fate of healthcare services in Nairobi hangs in the balance, leaving patients, medical staff, and policymakers bracing for the impact of yet another healthcare crisis.
