Kiambu County’s Chief Officer for Health, Patrick Nyagah, has sought to calm fears of a health services collapse, dismissing claims that hospitals are in paralysis after doctors downed tools more than four months ago.
In a statement on Friday, Nyagah insisted that facilities across the county remain operational, despite the strike by members of the Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Union (KMPDU), now in its 127th day.
“I want to correct a few misconceptions,” he said. “The first is that doctors in Kiambu are not working, as portrayed by the union. I can confirm that doctors are indeed working and serving residents.”
His remarks followed public uproar over reports that at least 136 newborns and five mothers have died during the industrial action, deaths blamed on the absence of medical personnel in some facilities.
Governor Kimani Wamatangi has also been on the defensive, describing criticism of his administration as politically motivated.
He claimed only a handful of doctors had joined the strike and said their salaries were suspended as a disciplinary measure.
But pressure on the county government is mounting. Members of Parliament have called for Kiambu’s health functions to be transferred back to the national government, while lobby groups have issued a seven-day ultimatum, warning they will petition for the county’s dissolution if the crisis persists.
The situation has also drawn strong reactions from national figures. Former Chief Justice David Maraga faulted the Social Health Authority (SHA), accusing it of denying citizens access to care despite mandatory deductions.
“The so-called ‘managed’ healthcare system is anything but managed,” Maraga said. “It is an act of impunity where people pay but are left to suffer when they need treatment.”
Githunguri MP Gathoni Wamuchomba added her voice, calling on state institutions, professional bodies, and civil society groups to step in urgently to prevent further loss of life.
