Health services disrupted as Kakamega health workers strike

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Healthcare services in public hospitals across Kakamega County have been severely disrupted after health workers affiliated with the Kenya Union of Clinical Officers (KUCO), the Kenya Environmental Public Health Union (KEPHU) and the Civil Servants Workers Union officially began their strike, accusing the county government of failing to honour long-standing agreements and neglecting the welfare of its workforce.

The industrial action has affected service delivery in several county health facilities, with union leaders insisting they will not call off the strike until the Kakamega County Government addresses their grievances, including confirming Universal Health Coverage (UHC) staff on permanent and pensionable terms, implementing promotions, signing a recognition agreement with the unions and fulfilling other outstanding labour commitments.

The unions say the county administration has repeatedly failed to implement agreements reached with health workers, leaving many employees frustrated and demoralised despite playing a central role in providing healthcare services to residents.

KEPHU Kakamega Branch Secretary Antony Ngaira said the county government has continued to rely heavily on health workers while ignoring their welfare whenever they seek better working conditions.

"These health workers are considered important when they are providing services to residents and helping the county deliver healthcare. However, when it comes to addressing their welfare and employment concerns, their importance suddenly comes to an end. We have declared that they must be employed on permanent and pensionable terms; otherwise, there will be no services for residents," said Ngaira.

Ngaira maintained that workers employed under the Universal Health Coverage programme have served diligently for years but continue to work under uncertain employment terms despite repeated promises by the county government to regularise their positions.

He further faulted the county government for failing to implement a recognition agreement with the health workers' unions, saying the delay has prevented meaningful engagement on labour issues.

"We want the Kakamega County Government to urgently sign the recognition agreement with the health workers' unions so that negotiations on labour agreements can begin. We want health workers to be officially recognised by their employer," he said.

According to Ngaira, the unions have exhausted dialogue and consultations with the county administration, leaving industrial action as their last option. He insisted that the strike will continue until the county government demonstrates commitment by implementing the agreed resolutions.

The striking workers also received backing from the Civil Servants Workers Union, whose Kakamega Branch Chairman Benard Otieno accused the county government of subjecting public servants to years of neglect and unfair labour practices.

Otieno said the union fully supports the ongoing strike, arguing that healthcare workers have endured prolonged frustration despite making repeated attempts to resolve their concerns through dialogue.

"We stand in solidarity with the striking health workers because the Kakamega County Government has mistreated and undermined them for a long time. We cannot continue discussing the same issues year after year without reaching a solution," said Otieno.

He claimed that for more than three years, the county government has failed to settle salary arrears owed to civil servants and has also not implemented the 2025 salary review despite recommendations made by the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC).

 The union official argued that the continued delays have eroded workers' morale and strengthened calls for healthcare workers to be paid directly by the national government instead of county governments.

The Kenya Union of Clinical Officers (KUCO) said its members would not resume duty until the county government fulfils its promises.

KUCO Kakamega Branch Secretary Bonface Mutobera urged patients affected by the strike to seek treatment from private health facilities while negotiations remain unresolved.

"We shall only return to work after our demands have been met. We sincerely apologise to patients for the inconvenience this strike has caused, but for now we advise them to seek treatment in private health facilities. We also want the Kakamega County Government to fulfil the promises it made and stop mistreating health workers," said Mutobera.

The strike has left hundreds of patients stranded as outpatient clinics and other non-emergency services remain disrupted across county hospitals while patients seeking routine medical care have been forced to seek alternative treatment in private health facilities, where healthcare costs are considerably higher.