Healthcare services in Kiambu County are expected to come to a standstill on Thursday as doctors intensify their strike, now approaching its 60th day. The Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU) has announced a countywide shutdown and protest march to demand urgent reforms in the health sector.
In a statement issued Wednesday evening, KMPDU Secretary General Dr. Davji Atellah said medical professionals would gather at 10 a.m. at Kiambu Level V Hospital before marching to the County Assembly and later the Governor’s office. He stressed that the protest is not just about delayed salaries or poor working conditions, but a cry for the restoration of a failing healthcare system.
“Hospitals are running without doctors. Patients lack essential drugs. Healthcare workers feel unsafe, and the county leadership appears clueless,” said Dr. Atellah. “No doctor should be forced to choose between their professional oath and personal safety. No patient should be left to suffer alone in deserted wards.”
The union blamed the Kiambu County administration for remaining indifferent as the crisis deepens. Dr. Atellah accused the county government of blaming doctors instead of taking responsibility and working towards a solution. He warned that if the situation is not addressed urgently, the unrest could spread nationwide.
“Our silence is over. Our mission to save lives will not be compromised,” he said. “To the people of Kiambu: we stand with you. To the government: we are watching.”
KMPDU has also demanded that all medical officer interns posted to Kiambu be immediately redeployed, citing dangerous and unsupportive conditions that hinder proper training and endanger lives. The union argued that without senior doctors to guide and supervise, the quality and safety of the internship programme is compromised.
They are now calling on the Ministry of Health to urgently transfer the affected interns to other counties with stable healthcare systems and adequate mentorship. The union insists that continuing internships under the current conditions in Kiambu would violate medical training standards.
With no resolution in sight, KMPDU is urging the national government to intervene before the situation spirals further, warning that the wellbeing of both patients and health workers remains at serious risk.
Written By Joyce Nzomo
