Public health services across the country face disruption after the Health Union Caucus announced a nationwide strike beginning midnight Monday, July 20, over what they termed as failure by the Council of Governors (CoG) to address long-standing concerns over workers' welfare, job security and employment terms.
In a press statement issued Tuesday, the caucus said it had been left with no option but to call industrial action after what it described as weeks of silence following demands submitted on June 15.
The unions said repeated efforts to engage county governments had failed to yield progress, despite raising issues affecting thousands of healthcare workers across the country.
"The nationwide strike shall commence at 12:00 midnight on Monday, July 20, 2026," the statement reads.
According to the unions, the continued failure by the CoG to respond to their grievances has violated labour laws and constitutional guarantees protecting workers' rights.
"Despite clear and urgent demands issued by the Health Union Caucus on June 15, 2026 regarding the welfare and job security of healthcare workers, the Council of Governors has persistently failed to acknowledge or act on these grievances," the unions said.
The caucus argued that the prolonged inaction has created widespread uncertainty among health workers, many of whom continue serving under temporary contracts without adequate employment benefits.
Among the key demands is the immediate conversion of all eligible Universal Health Coverage (UHC) and Global Fund healthcare workers to permanent and pensionable terms, accompanied by the issuance of appointment letters.
The unions are also demanding full implementation of the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) by county governments that are yet to sign it, alongside full implementation of obligations contained in the Return-to-Work Formula signed on January 28, 2026.
In addition, they want county governments to sign recognition agreements to facilitate lawful industrial relations processes.
"These workers are working under a very demotivating environment shrouded in confusion and uncertainty regarding their jobs and without medical cover for themselves and their dependents," the statement says.
The unions further accused authorities of exposing healthcare workers to financial insecurity through continued delays in resolving employment disputes.
They maintained that industrial action had become unavoidable after exhausting available avenues for dialogue.
"The authorities' inaction has created an environment of job insecurity and financial neglect that is no longer tenable," the statement adds.
Even as they prepare for the strike, the unions said they remain open to negotiations if meaningful action is taken before the planned walkout.
"We remain committed to constructive engagement and meaningful social dialogue aimed at amicably resolving these disputes," the caucus said.
The statement was signed on behalf of the Health Union Caucus by chairperson Peterson Wachira and officials representing several health sector unions, including the Kenya Union of Clinical Officers (KUCO) and Kenya National Union of Medical Laboratory Officers (KNUMLO).
Others are Kenya Union of Nutritionists and Dieticians (KUNAD), Kenya National Union of Pharmaceutical Technologists (KNUPT), the Kenya Health Professionals Society (KHPS), the Kenya Environmental Health and Public Health Practitioners Union (KEHPHPU) and the National Union of Biomedical Engineers of Kenya (NUBEK).
