Kenyan doctors have given the government seven days to resolve the ongoing nationwide nurses’ strike, warning that they could issue a strike notice and join the industrial action if the dispute remains unresolved.
The Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU) Secretary-General, Dr Davji Atellah, said on Monday that the nurses’ strike, which has lasted more than 40 days, has severely disrupted services in public hospitals.
Atellah said doctors are increasingly being forced to take on responsibilities normally handled by nurses, placing additional pressure on a workforce that is already facing a shortage of doctors.
“Doctors cannot do the nursing jobs,” Atellah said.
He warned that public hospitals are operating at bare-minimum capacity, with patients requiring nursing care struggling to access essential services. According to the union, the disruption has increased the risk of preventable complications and deaths, particularly among children and mothers.
Dispute dates back years
Atellah said the grievances behind the nurses’ strike are not new and can be traced to the 2017 Return-to-Work Formula, with several agreements between health workers and the government still awaiting full implementation.
He argued that agreements signed between the government and health workers’ unions and deposited in court should be honoured, describing them as binding commitments that must be implemented.
The nurses’ industrial action began in late July 2026 following failed negotiations over the implementation of outstanding provisions in their Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA). The dispute has continued for more than 40 days, severely affecting nursing services in public health facilities.
The Council of Governors has previously urged the striking nurses to return to work while negotiations continue. Council chair Ahmed Abdullahi said discussions over the outstanding CBA issues had been ongoing before the strike began.
Doctors also have pending grievances
KMPDU says the nurses’ dispute comes as doctors themselves continue to face unresolved issues.
Atellah said doctors had been promised adjustments to their payslips in August, but the changes had not been implemented. He expressed hope that the adjustments would be effected in September.
The union has now called on both the national and county governments to urgently intervene and resolve the nurses’ grievances within seven days.
KMPDU said that if no solution is reached within the ultimatum, it will proceed with issuing a nationwide strike notice in solidarity with nurses, potentially adding another major group of healthcare workers to the ongoing industrial action.
The union has urged all parties to prioritise dialogue and honour existing agreements, warning that Kenya’s public healthcare system cannot function effectively while a critical component of the workforce remains out of service.
