Kindiki pushes for speedy resolution of nurses' strike

Deputy President Kithure Kindiki has called for a quick resolution to the ongoing nurses strike that has paralysed healthcare across the country.

Prof Kindiki urged the Council of Governors (CoG) and Kenya National Union of Nurses and Midwives (KNUNM), together with the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC), to resolve outstanding issues at the heart of the strike to prevent further suffering of Kenyans seeking treatment in various hospitals.

“This industrial action has affected the smooth delivery of health services across the country,” he said.

“I wish to encourage CoG, in consultation with SRC, to conclude on the outstanding issues as soon as possible to facilitate resumption of services,” added the Deputy President.

Kindiki appealed on Monday during a Special Intergovernmental Budget and Economic Council (IBEC) meeting at his official Residence in Karen, Nairobi, to look into emerging issues in the health sector and agree on the best way to handle them.

“I am urging the Ministry of Health, the CoG and the SRC, to go out of their way, engage the union, and conclude that process because we don't want disruptions in this sector,” he said.

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The Deputy President, who chairs IBEC, said the rolling out of the Universal Health Coverage (UHC) under the Taifa Care programme is proceeding well, with over 32.3 million Kenyans registering for the cover.

“It is not a small matter, the number of people on this programme already. We are almost achieving universality because once you hit 75 per cent, then you have a universal health care system,” he said.

From this increased enrollment, he cited, more Kenyans are receiving treatment at different levels of hospitals, including in dispensaries and health centres serving people in remote areas.

So far, 20 million Kenyans have received outpatient treatment under this programme. To date, 178 billion shillings has been disbursed to facilities in the 47 counties by the Social Health Authority (SHA).

“I must thank the cooperation between the Council of Governors, the county governments and the national government because, without it, we would not have achieved the progress we have achieved so far,” highlighted Kindiki.

Under the National Equipment Support Programme, progress has been made in equipping Level 4 and 5 hospitals with modern medical equipment, with focus now on Level 3, easing disease diagnosis and treatment at the facilities.

“Borrowing from the experiences under the defunct Medical Equipment Scheme (MES), this programme is more sustainable because it is based on a fee-for-service model.

“It is upon the person providing the equipment to install it, maintain it, get consumables and make sure it is working. So there is no question of downtime because the person is paid based on the use of that equipment,” explained Kindiki.

Additionally, the IBEC resolved to fast-track the absorption of UHC staff under permanent and pensionable terms as agreed from July 1, 2026.

To ensure smooth absorption, the Council resolved to ensure the Commission on Revenue Allocation’s revenue-sharing formula for FY 2027/28 covers the associated costs related to the transition of UHC workers so that no County Government suffers a reduction in its equitable share.

“The Council resolved that the financing of the transition and payment of UHC health workers be provided for through the County Governments Additional Allocations (CGAA) for FY 2026/27, with the amounts already paid by the Ministry of Health for July and August 2026 being duly accounted for under the CGAA and reimbursed to the Ministry of Health effective 1st September, 2026,” IBEC stated.