The Kenya Medical Association (KMA) has expressed growing concern over the ongoing doctors’ strike in Kiambu County, which has now extended into its 150th day.
The association warns that the prolonged industrial action is putting lives at risk, slowing progress in critical health areas, and eroding public confidence in the county’s healthcare system.
KMA highlighted that the strike denies residents their constitutional right to access the highest standard of health, as provided in Article 43(1)(a) of the Constitution of Kenya.
The body cautioned that continued disruption could undo gains in maternal and neonatal health and weaken trust in both county and national health services.
“It is a great disservice to the people of Kiambu to go without medical services for this long, and it constitutes a violation of their constitutional right to the highest attainable standard of health, as enshrined in Article 43(1)(a) of the Constitution of Kenya,” the statement said.
The association pointed to unresolved human resource issues raised by the Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU), including delays in salaries and allowances, non-payment of statutory deductions like PAYE, SHA, and NSSF, stalled promotions, lack of career progression, and refusal by county officials to engage meaningfully with doctors.
KMA also cited threats of punitive measures, including arbitrary transfers, as fueling the strike.
KMA noted that these challenges violate the Return-to-Work Formula and the 2017–2021 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) between KMPDU and the County Government of Kiambu, which remains binding.
The association is calling on the county to immediately engage doctors in meaningful dialogue and uphold the law in handling all health workers, in line with the Employment Act and public service human resource policies.
The association also appealed to the Ministry of Health, the Council of Governors, Parliament, and the Presidency to intervene decisively and help resolve the crisis sustainably.
“KMA reiterates its readiness to facilitate mediation and technical support to help both parties reach a fair and lasting settlement,” the statement reads. “Industrial harmony in the health sector is vital for the realisation of Primary Health Care and Universal Health Coverage (UHC).”
KMA further warned that industrial action reflects deeper systemic failures that require transparent, accountable, and respectful governance. The body stressed that ignoring the doctors’ grievances risks undermining healthcare delivery and public trust in the government’s commitment to universal health coverage.
"Failure to address legitimate grievances raised by doctors in Kiambu undermines not only the county's healthcare delivery system but also the public's trust in the government's commitment to universal health coverage (UHC)," the association added.
