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The demonstration came as the Kenya Environmental Health and Public Health Practitioners Union (KEHPHPU) issued a 14-day strike notice to the Ministry of Health and the Council of Governors, warning that health workers across the country would down their tools unless UHC staff were confirmed on permanent and pensionable terms.
According to WHO data compiled from Congolese health authorities, 285 people have recovered from the disease, while another 304 suspected infections are still being investigated.
In a notice dated July 6 and signed by KUCO General Secretary and CEO George Gibore, the union accused the Ministry of Health, the Council of Governors and all 47 county governments of failing to honour previous agreements and resolve grievances affecting clinical officers despite months of engagement.
According to a report by the WHO Regional Office for Africa, the outbreak is being driven by continued transmission in hotspot health zones across Ituri and North Kivu provinces, a rise in community deaths and new infections spreading into areas that had not previously reported cases.
M-Pesa Foundation Trustee Patricia Ithau said the organisation will provide the connectivity needed to support the technology.
In a notice to beneficiaries issued on Tuesday, the authority said the fingerprints of registered child dependants will be captured when they visit SHA-contracted healthcare facilities for treatment to help confirm that the correct beneficiary is receiving medical care.
The move follows the government’s decision to absorb UHC workers into the public service after guidance from the Public Service Commission and other relevant agencies, with the new terms taking effect from July 1, 2026.
In a notice issued on July 4,2026, SHA said the released funds will be used to settle verified hospital claims for healthcare facilities with outstanding amounts of Sh10 million and below. Before payments are processed, however, healthcare providers will be required to complete a formal sign-off process.
PPB further stated that it has since strengthened oversight measures and stopped approving new applications for parallel-imported medicinal products from October 2025.
The Senate Health Committee has summoned Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale and officials from the Kenya Medical Supplies Authority to explain how the stock, including medicines used for cancer, HIV, malaria and other serious conditions, was allowed to go to waste.
SHA explained that some of the claims are still undergoing assessment and therefore cannot be paid until all verification procedures are completed.
The authority cautioned the public against engaging with such individuals, stressing that they have no connection to SHA and are seeking to exploit unsuspecting people.
Under the law, public health facilities are allowed to retain revenue generated from services rendered and use the funds to support operations and improve healthcare delivery, subject to approved plans and financial controls.
The dispute arose after the hospital issued notices in October 2025, March 2026 and April 2026 informing affected clinical officers that their employment would cease upon the expiry of their contracts.
The cost of an ultrasound scan has also gone up from Sh1,800 to Sh4,800, an increase of 167 per cent. Patients requiring a colonoscopy are now paying Sh25,000, up from Sh9,800, marking a 155 per cent increase.
According to WHO, no additional cases have been reported since May 25, paving the way for the outbreak to be formally closed under international public health guidelines.
The commitment emerged during a meeting between Principal Secretary for Medical Services Dr Ouma Oluga and the Japan–Kenya Joint Technical Working Group (TWG), where officials reviewed progress under the Kenya–Japan health cooperation framework.
According to the Ministry of Health, Kenya's Ebola preparedness score has reached 66 percent, reflecting encouraging progress while highlighting the need for continued investment to attain full operational readiness
According to Duale, the exercise exposed the extent of a problem that has quietly placed many patients at risk of using medicines that are poorly manufactured, contain incorrect ingredients or fail to provide the expected treatment.
Speaking at the event, Pharmacy and Poisons Board (PPB) Chairperson Dr. John M. Munyu said the growing challenge cannot be addressed by one institution alone, stressing the need for coordinated efforts across different sectors.
The committee will oversee implementation of the National Action Plan while strengthening regulation, enforcement, and collaboration among government agencies to safeguard the country's pharmaceutical supply chain
According to the report, Kenya could lose about 2,900 jobs if the disease remains largely contained within the DRC and Uganda but continues to trigger restrictions that affect trade and transport across the region.
Data released by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) shows that 20.1 per cent of Kenyans aged between 17 and 23 years reported using khat, commonly known as miraa. Based on the country’s youth population of 13.7 million, this translates to about 2.7 million users, making it the most widely consumed substance among those surveyed.
Under the framework, Kenya and the United States will work together to enhance the fight against HIV, malaria, tuberculosis and emerging disease outbreaks through improved disease monitoring, stronger laboratory networks, expanded use of digital health technologies and a more dependable supply of medical commodities.
SHA Chief Executive Officer Mercy Mwangangi said all healthcare providers must complete the integration process within the set timeline or face removal from the authority's network.
According to the Council, the registration exercise is intended to strengthen pre-hospital healthcare services, improve emergency response standards and support the rollout of services funded through the Social Health Authority’s Emergency, Critical Care and Chronic Illness Fund.
The authority was rolled out in October 2024 as part of a major healthcare overhaul that replaced the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) with the Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF).
In a statement issued on Sunday, the union argued that PHO interns play an essential role in frontline healthcare services and should not be sidelined in internship and deployment programmes.
According to Health CS Duale, the Ministry of Health activated the national Ebola Incident Management System on May 20 as part of efforts to strengthen readiness in the event of a possible outbreak.
Data released during this year's International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking celebrations at the Miritini Treatment and Rehabilitation Centre in Mombasa County placed the Coast region at the top of the list, recording a prevalence rate of 29.3 per cent.