Public hospitals across Nairobi have been brought to a near standstill as a prolonged strike by healthcare workers stretches into its fourth week, leaving thousands of patients stranded and unsure where to seek care.
Doctors in the county have been on strike for 27 days, while clinical officers have been off duty for the past 23 days. The crisis is set to deepen further, with all remaining health cadres expected to join the strike from Thursday at midnight a move that could completely paralyse services in public health facilities.
At Mbagathi County Referral Hospital, one of Nairobi’s busiest public hospitals, the impact is already visible. Patients crowd waiting bays for hours, many leaving without being attended to as service points remain largely deserted. The few nurses still reporting to duty say they are overwhelmed by the number of patients seeking help.
Doctors have vowed not to return to work, blaming Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja’s administration for failing to honour agreements signed with health workers, including delayed salaries, unpaid benefits and stalled promotions.
“With Sakaja, there is no medical cover, no promotions and now delayed salaries. It is getting worse and worse,” said Dr Deogracious Maero, the Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU) Nairobi Branch Chairman.
“I can tell Nairobians that the leadership at the county level does not care for you.”
His sentiments were echoed by Dr Malindi Chao, the Nairobi Branch Secretary, who warned residents that the situation in public hospitals was deteriorating rapidly.
“As we speak now, even the clinical officers are on strike, and other cadres are joining tomorrow. Health is not working in Nairobi,” Dr Chao said.
“We are telling wananchi wa Nairobi mjue hakuna madaktari hospitali, and if you go, the person treating you is not a doctor. We urge you to seek medical care elsewhere because it is going to get worse.”
Doctors began their industrial action in mid last month and were later joined by clinical officers. Both groups insist they will not resume work until all outstanding payments are made and their grievances fully addressed.
Clinical officers say their demands include payment of salary arrears, implementation of a salary review, operationalisation of their collective bargaining agreement (CBA), and permanent employment for staff hired under the Universal Health Coverage programme.
“He does not want to sign a CBA for the few people he negotiated for eight years ago. Does he know that he negotiated for only eight people? That is a clear admission of a system that has failed,” said Dr George Gibore, Secretary General of the Kenya Union of Clinical Officers (KUCO).
KUCO Chairperson Peterson Wachira accused governors and the national government of negligence and impunity, despite having received the necessary approvals to conclude negotiations.
“We have 47 governors who continue to be negligent and portray impunity. The governors and the ministry have not even seen a reason to call us to sit down and conclude the CBA,” Wachira said.
The situation is expected to worsen from Thursday night when nurses and laboratory officers join the strike after the lapse of their strike notice over unpaid salaries and allowances.
As the standoff drags on, patients especially those who rely on public hospitals for affordable care remain the hardest hit, with many forced to seek costly private treatment or go without care altogether as Nairobi’s public health system grinds to a halt.
