Kenya’s Healthcare Crisis: Medics Set to Strike Over Insurance and Unpaid Salaries
Kenya's healthcare system is on the verge of collapse as doctors and healthcare workers threaten a nationwide strike over unpaid salaries and lack of medical insurance. Learn about the background of the crisis, the healthcare workers' demands, and what this means for the future of medical care in Kenya.

Kenya’s healthcare system is facing a potential breakdown as doctors and other healthcare workers across the country prepare to strike over delayed salaries and lack of medical insurance. The strike, planned for September 19, comes after months of unmet promises by the government. If it goes ahead, it could leave countless patients without access to essential medical care.
What’s Happening?
Doctors, nurses, clinical officers, and other medical staff have had enough. For months, many of them have worked without pay and without the critical insurance coverage that would protect them as they continue to care for patients. This isn’t just about a paycheck—healthcare workers are demanding basic rights, like medical insurance, which was promised to them during return-to-work negotiations in March this year.
Healthcare workers in several counties, including Nyamira, Marsabit, Meru, and Taita Taveta, have already gone on strike, and unless their demands are met, others across the country are set to follow suit. The Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Union (KMPDU) has joined forces with several other medical unions, giving the government a two-week deadline to act before the strike spreads nationwide.
The Background Story
Back in March 2024, after a disruptive strike that affected thousands of patients, the government agreed to a return-to-work deal with healthcare unions. A key part of this agreement was the promise of comprehensive medical insurance for healthcare workers, ensuring they could access the same medical services they provide to others. Sadly, many counties have yet to honor this commitment.
In addition to the lack of insurance, healthcare workers are also fighting for the payment of salaries, which have been delayed for up to three months in some counties. These delays are not just an inconvenience—they're causing real hardship. Workers are struggling to pay rent, afford transportation, and meet basic needs, all while continuing to serve on the frontlines of patient care.
What Are the Healthcare Workers Asking For?
The unions representing healthcare workers have outlined three main demands:
- Comprehensive medical insurance for all healthcare workers, as promised in the collective bargaining agreement.
- Payment of overdue salaries for the months of June, July, and August.
- Remittance of statutory deductions that have been delayed by county governments.
These are not new or unreasonable requests—they are basic rights that the government agreed to provide but has so far failed to deliver.
What’s the Way Forward?
Health Cabinet Secretary Dr. Deborah Barasa has indicated a willingness to engage in further talks, but healthcare workers are growing increasingly frustrated with the lack of action. While the government has promised solutions in the past, workers are now calling for real, tangible changes.
Unions warn that if these demands are not met, Kenya could face a healthcare crisis of unprecedented scale, with thousands of medical professionals walking off the job. This would come at a time when the healthcare system is already stretched thin and patients are in urgent need of care.
How This Affects You
If the strike goes ahead, access to healthcare across Kenya could be severely disrupted. From hospitals to rural clinics, medical services may become unavailable, putting lives at risk. This could also affect the government's goal of achieving Universal Health Coverage, as an underfunded and understaffed healthcare system simply cannot meet the needs of the population.
What Can Be Done?
For citizens, it's important to stay informed and understand the root of this crisis. The healthcare workers on the frontlines are not only fighting for themselves, but for a better healthcare system for all Kenyans. Support from the public can help put pressure on the government to honor its commitments and ensure that doctors, nurses, and other essential workers receive the protection and compensation they deserve.
If you believe in the importance of a strong healthcare system, now is the time to raise your voice. Reach out to your local representatives, engage on social media, and show support for healthcare workers in their fight for fairness.
A Call to Action
Healthcare is a human right, and those who provide it deserve to be treated with respect and dignity. As Kenyans, we need to come together to ensure that our healthcare workers are protected and supported, so they can continue to care for our communities. Let’s hold our leaders accountable and push for real change before it's too late.
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