UHC Workers Extend Strike After Talks with Kindiki, Barasa Fail
Talks between health officials, Deputy President Kindiki, and union leaders did not produce a resolution on Monday. This means the strike by Universal Health Coverage (UHC) workers will continue, leaving many Kenyans without needed medical care.
The meeting aimed to solve a five-year-old healthcare issue and address the concerns of 8,571 UHC employees. Groups like the Kenya National Union of Nurses (KNUN), the Kenya Union of Clinical Officers (KUCO), the Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists, and Dentists Union (KMPDU), and United Kingdom Community Servers (UKCS) were present. However, the meeting did not result in an agreement.
UHC officials stated that the meeting’s failure shows the government is not taking the healthcare crisis seriously. “The failed Meeting between the Ministry of Health, CS Deborah Barasa, KNUN, KUCO, KMPDU, UKCS, and DP Kindiki is an indicator of a failed system. It shows the helplessness and lack of seriousness toward solving our 5-year-old UHC issues,” the UHC workers said in a social media post.
KMPDU Secretary General Devji Atella announced a nationwide strike on Tuesday. He urged all UHC workers to protest until the government fulfills its promises. “This time we are on the streets because we agreed that there was a Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) that needs to be used in payment of wages for everyone, including doctors, but the government has decided to backtrack, and so tomorrow we will hit the streets,” Atella explained.
The UHC staff strike started in February 2025 and has continued for several weeks. Workers have marched to Parliament to demand permanent jobs, pension benefits, fair salaries, and other improvements.
This strike has severely impacted healthcare services across the nation.
Deputy President Kindiki has assured the public that the government is dedicated to providing good, affordable healthcare. He said that the government will keep talking with medical groups to achieve this.
Hospital services are struggling, which is making the healthcare situation worse. The government has asked for 21 days to address the workers’ demands as efforts to find a solution continue.
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UHC Workers Extend Strike After Talks with Kindiki, Barasa Fail
