Solidarity Forever: Doctors Threaten Nationwide Strike Over Nurses’ Crisis

By Staff Writer

Kenya’s health sector could face another nationwide strike after doctors gave the Government seven days to resolve the nurses’ prolonged industrial action.

The Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU) said it would issue a nationwide strike notice if the dispute is not settled within that period, raising the likelihood of further disruption to health services across the country.

KMPDU Secretary-General Dr Davji Atellah said the nurses’ strike, now over 40 days old, was putting growing pressure on doctors and other healthcare workers, who he said were being forced to take on duties beyond their usual roles.

The warning comes as nurses continue their nationwide strike over several grievances, including the implementation of collective bargaining agreements, the 2017 return-to-work formula, and employment terms for Universal Health Coverage (UHC) workers, and career progression.

The Kenya National Union of Nurses and Midwives (KNUNM) has said the strike will continue until the main outstanding issues are addressed, while talks between the union and the Council of Governors (COG) remain unresolved.

Atellah said the prolonged absence of nurses was adding strain to an already stretched workforce and warned that patients were paying the price.

“Every day this continues, the pressure on doctors and other healthcare workers grows. We are taking on responsibilities beyond our roles, services are being stretched, and ultimately, it is the patient who bears the consequences,” he stated.

He said the dispute should not be seen as a contest between different groups of healthcare workers, arguing that hospitals rely on the complementary roles of doctors, nurses, and other professionals.

“A doctor cannot replace a nurse. We need each other,” he urged.

The warning comes amid growing disruption in public health facilities since the nurses’ strike began on July 29. Reports from different counties have pointed to interruptions in nursing services, with health facilities struggling to operate normally.

The nurses are demanding the conclusion and implementation of the 2025–2029 Collective Bargaining Agreement, implementation of the 2017 return-to-work agreement, and the absorption of UHC workers into permanent and pensionable employment.

The standoff has also led to demonstrations, with nurses planning a major procession in Nairobi to increase pressure on the Government and other agencies involved in the talks.

Atellah urged the Government to drop what he called a business-as-usual approach and negotiate with nurses to end the dispute.

“The Government must stop treating this crisis as business as usual. Sit down with the nurses, listen to their grievances and resolve this dispute,” Atellah warned.

KMPDU’s threat means the dispute could spread beyond nursing services to doctors, potentially affecting a wider range of services in public hospitals.

Atellah said KMPDU was backing nurses not only out of professional solidarity, but because the union sees a functioning health system as essential to protecting both healthcare workers and patients.

“This is not a fight between healthcare professions. It is a fight for a functional health system,” he explained.

The dispute has already drawn wider concern, with the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR) describing the nurses’ strike as a national public health and human rights crisis.

KMPDU’s ultimatum now adds pressure on the Government, the COG, and other agencies involved in resolving the nurses’ grievances to find common ground before the seven-day deadline expires.

Atellah warned that doctors would not stay on the sidelines if the dispute continued to disrupt healthcare delivery, saying the union was ready to act in defence of both healthcare workers and patients.