Kenyans seeking medical services in public hospitals may soon face disruptions as the Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Union (KMPDU) has issued a strike notice.
The union has given the government a two-week ultimatum to address their grievances regarding the Universal Health Coverage (UHC) program, including concerns over the Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF) and the operations of the Social Health Authority (SHA).
KMPDU Secretary-General Davji Atela announced that doctors would down their tools if the government failed to take action, citing mismanagement and inefficiencies within SHA.
The union, in collaboration with the Union of Kenya Civil Servants (UKCS), is demanding a complete overhaul of the authority, arguing that its current leadership cannot be trusted to resolve the challenges facing Kenya’s health sector.
Doctors Demand Leadership Change and Fair Contributions
Atela criticized the SHA leadership, stating that public servants were being unfairly forced to contribute twice to the medical scheme, yet they were not receiving healthcare services that matched their deductions.
He emphasized that the funds meant to support the medical needs of workers were being mismanaged, leaving healthcare professionals struggling to cover their own medical bills.
“We are giving the government two weeks to resolve these issues. If no action is taken, it will not be business as usual—we will call for nationwide protests to demand justice for our members,” Atela warned.
He further stressed the need for leadership change at SHA, arguing that the authority’s current management was incapable of ensuring the success of the UHC program.
“The current leadership at SHA is weak. For this system to work effectively, there must be a complete overhaul at the top,” he added.
Civil Servants’ Union Joins Calls for Action
The Union of Kenya Civil Servants (UKCS) also voiced their concerns, demanding the immediate deployment of all interns pursuing clinical medicine courses across the country. They further urged the government to permanently absorb all UHC staff currently working under temporary contracts.
UKCS Chairperson Peterson Wachira called for the full implementation of the 2024 Return to Work Formula (RTWF), which had been signed between healthcare workers and the Ministry of Health.
On Tuesday, doctors and civil servants took to the streets, marching to Afya House in Nairobi, where they presented their demands to the government.
The unions remain firm in their stance, insisting that if the government does not act within the set deadline, they will have no choice but to proceed with industrial action, which could cripple healthcare services across the country.
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