Kenya Clinical Officers Resume Nationwide Strike Over Unmet Demand
Public health services across Kenya are set to face major disruptions as the Kenya Union of Clinical Officers (KUCO) announced the resumption of their nationwide strike, effective midnight.
The industrial action follows the government’s failure to implement the Return-To-Work Formula signed in September last year.
KUCO Secretary-General George Gibore, speaking at a press briefing in Nairobi, expressed frustration over the prolonged delays in addressing the union’s grievances.
He noted that despite a 21-day strike suspension to allow for negotiations, key commitments remain unfulfilled.
These include the confirmation of Universal Health Coverage (UHC) staff to permanent and pensionable terms, delayed promotions and re-designations, lack of comprehensive medical cover for clinical officers, and stalled negotiations on the next Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).
”The issues we are raising today are not new. Every year, we go through the same cycle of strikes, agreements, and non-implementation. This time, we are determined to stay the course until our demands are met,” he stated.
The government has failed to honor commitments made in the agreement signed in September 2024, leaving critical employment terms unresolved including Delayed Absorption of UHC Staff, Clinical officers under the UHC program remain on short-term contracts, contrary to previous commitments to transition them to permanent employment.
Failure to Implement Career Progression Guidelines where Counties have not received the necessary dissemination of career progression guidelines, delaying promotions and re-designations of officers.
Lack of Comprehensive Medical Cover:At least 14 counties have not provided medical insurance to clinical officers, leaving them without access to healthcare services they provide to others.
Exclusion from Social Health Authority (SHA) Panels: Clinical officers and their registered facilities have been excluded from empanelment under SHA, restricting their ability to provid.
KUCO also criticized the ongoing National Health Summit, hosted at the Deputy President’s residence, for failing to include key stakeholders, including clinical officers.
The union argues that the exclusion risks maintaining the status quo rather than facilitating meaningful reforms.
“We firmly believe that this summit lacks inclusive stakeholder engagement and cannot result in progressive health policy reforms. It appears structured to entrench inefficiencies rather than address them,” Gibore stated.
With the strike now in full force, KUCO has urged the government to take immediate steps to address their concerns, warning that continued inaction will cripple healthcare services nationwide.
The union remains open to dialogue but insists that any engagement must result in tangible commitments.
“We call upon the Ministry of Health and the Council of Governors to act with urgency. The health of Kenyans depends on swift and decisive action to resolve these issues once and for all,” said KUCO’s National Treasurer, Mary Boniface.
As the strike takes effect, patients across the country face uncertainty, with disruptions expected in major public health facilities, including national referral hospitals.
The ball is now in the government’s court to prevent further deterioration of healthcare services.
