Health services in Kakamega County were severely disrupted yesterday as doctors, including those on short-term contracts, commenced a strike that affected public hospitals across the region.
At Kakamega County General Hospital, patients were left with little choice but to seek medical assistance from private facilities, while others returned home without receiving treatment. Most public health centres experienced minimal activity, with critical services coming to a standstill due to the absence of doctors.
Peter Ajevi, a resident who had accompanied his brother for a scheduled appointment, expressed frustration after being unable to see a doctor.
“I’ve been forced to go back home and find an alternative way to get him treatment because he’s in pain. We urge the county government to intervene and meet the doctors’ demands so our people can continue receiving quality healthcare,” he said.
Anne Khasoha, a patient from Shinyalu Constituency, had travelled for a routine check-up but was turned away.
“My condition requires a doctor’s attention, but I wasn’t aware of the strike until I arrived. A nurse informed me that the doctors had walked out. Now, I either wait or continue using the prescribed medication without proper review. I pray the government intervenes because the situation is dire,” she lamented.
The Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU) has accused the Kakamega County Government of failing to implement the 2017 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), which outlines fair employment terms and improved working conditions for medical professionals.
Speaking at the union’s Western Branch Annual General Meeting in Kakamega on Saturday, KMPDU Secretary-General Dr Davji Bhimji Atellah said the strike — now in its third week — stems from years of systemic neglect.
“Doctors have gone seven years without promotions. Statutory deductions are not being remitted, many are on exploitative locum contracts earning less than a third of CBA rates, and they lack medical insurance,” said Dr Atellah.
He warned that the situation in Kakamega is deteriorating, revealing that over 11 doctors have resigned in recent months due to a lack of essential drugs, emergency equipment, and poor working conditions.
The union is currently in dispute with 18 counties and has vowed that the strike in Kakamega will continue until the county honours the return-to-work agreements and fully implements the 2017 CBA.
“Our fight is for dignity, justice, and the full implementation of the CBA,” Dr Atellah declared.
Western Branch Secretary Sande Charo echoed his sentiments, affirming that local doctors are united in their stance.
“We stand in full solidarity with our colleagues in Kakamega. The county must act and respect the rights of health workers,” said Charo.
As KMPDU prepares for its national Annual Delegates Conference, the union has reiterated that counties failing to meet their obligations under the CBA will face sustained industrial action.
While the union has secured victories in other counties — such as converting contracts to permanent terms and improving employment conditions — Kakamega remains a major concern.
“In Bungoma, pending issues remain, but in Kakamega, the situation is dire,” said Dr Atellah.
The Western Branch doctors unanimously reaffirmed their support for the strike and their colleagues on the front lines.
“We shall not retreat. We shall not surrender. We shall win — for the doctors, and together,” said Dr Atellah.
Kakamega County Secretary Lawrence Omuhaka did not respond to calls or text messages regarding the ongoing doctors’ strike and the county’s response to the deepening healthcare crisis.
