Clinical Officers Strike Paralyzes North Rift Health Facilities, Calls for Urgent Government Action

By Wasike Elvis 

Health services across the North Rift region are experiencing severe disruptions as striking clinical officers continue to demand long-overdue employment agreements and better working conditions. Officials from the Kenya Clinical Officers Association (KCOA) visited key health facilities, including Uasingishu, Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital, Nandi, Marakwet, TransNzoia , West Pokot, and Turkana, in a fact-finding mission to assess the impact of the ongoing strike.

During the visit, Joseph Chebii , Secretary of the KCOA, painted a grim picture of health service delivery under the strike. “Services in facilities like Uasingishu have dropped to less than 20 per cent. Patients are queuing for hours, and the facilities are struggling to provide even basic care. This strike has hit Kenyans very hard, and urgent dialogue is required,” Chebii said.

The strike, which has persisted for several weeks, is primarily driven by unresolved issues surrounding the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) between the Kenya Union of Clinical Officers and the government. The union has been negotiating the agreement for more than eight years, and Chebii  stressed that despite guidance from the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC), both the national and county governments have yet to finalize the agreement. “If these issues are resolved quickly, Kenyans will once again access quality health services. Clinicians are the first point of contact for patients, and when they are absent, the entire health system slows down,” he noted.

Another pressing issue highlighted by Chebii  and other officials is the plight of Global Fund workers, many of whom have served in Kenya’s health system for over 15 years without full employment benefits. Leah Sogoti, a former TB program staffer in TransNzoia County, shared her story of working for 19 months without pay. “The government had made commitments to us, but they have not been honoured. We are asking for two things: permanent and pensionable employment, and payment of our 19-month salaries. We have dedicated our lives to serving Kenyans, and we deserve clarity and recognition,” Sogoti said. She further appealed directly to national leaders, including the President and Parliamentary officials, to intervene and address the longstanding grievances of Global Fund staff.

At Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital, Julius Kering called for urgent negotiations between hospital management and the union. “Our role is to implement the Collective Bargaining Agreement that has already been signed. The delay is causing unnecessary suffering for patients. We urge management and the union to come to terms so that services can resume and Kenyans do not continue to suffer,” he said.

Isaac Kiptalam, Chairman of the KCOA Uasingishu branch, highlighted the role of county governments in resolving the crisis. He appealed to governors to initiate dialogue with striking officers and facilitate a return to work. “We have had a good working relationship with the county government. Now, we need them to call all striking clinical officers to the table to discuss career progression, implementation of guidelines, and a way forward. Right now, services are operating at below 30 percent. Many of the young clinicians left behind are inexperienced and struggle to manage patients, which affects quality of care,” Kiptalam said.

The strike is not only affecting routine healthcare but also threatens the government’s efforts to achieve universal health coverage (UHC), a key policy priority. Chebii  warned that the absence of clinical officers has stalled several departments within hospitals, creating a domino effect that undermines the broader healthcare delivery system. “Achieving UHC might not be possible if critical frontline staff are away from work. Clinical officers are central to patient care, and their absence is being felt across all service areas,” he said.

The KCOA officials also emphasized the need to convert UHC staff to permanent and pensionable terms, acknowledging that harmonized salaries have been received but stressing that permanent employment would strengthen service delivery and morale.

As the North Rift counties continue to grapple with the effects of the strike, patients have been left with limited options. Long queues and overwhelmed facilities highlight the urgent need for intervention. Stakeholders are now calling on the national and county governments, along with the Kenya Union of Clinical Officers, to engage in immediate dialogue to resolve the stalemate and restore full health services to the region.

“The solution is simple,” Kiptalam concluded. “Let us sit down, talk, and agree on a way forward. Our experienced clinical officers need to return to work, and Kenyans deserve access to quality healthcare without delay.”

The strike underscores broader systemic challenges in Kenya’s health sector, including delayed implementation of employment agreements, underpayment of critical health workers, and gaps in career progression for frontline staff. Until a resolution is reached, patients across the North Rift will continue to face long waits, inadequate care, and uncertainty over essential health services.