NAIROBI, Kenya – The Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU) and the Union of Kenya Civil Servants (UKCS) have issued a two-week ultimatum to the government, demanding an overhaul of the Social Health Authority (SHA).
The unions accuse the agency of failing millions of Kenyans, leaving patients stranded in hospitals despite mandatory deductions from workers’ salaries.
Led by KMPDU Secretary General Davji Atela and UKCS Secretary General Tom Odege, the unions say SHA has become a symbol of inefficiency, with healthcare workers and public servants left without the services they were promised.
They warned that if the government does not act swiftly, civil servants from both county and national levels will stage nationwide protests.
SHA was introduced as part of Kenya’s efforts to provide universal health coverage, but the unions argue that it has only added to the struggles of ordinary Kenyans.
According to Atela, over five million people are at risk of missing essential medical services due to the authority’s failures.
“The current leadership at SHA is weak, and for its success, leadership must be changed,” said Atela. “Public servants are being forced to contribute twice to the scheme but receive no corresponding benefits. We cannot stand by while our members resort to fundraising for medical expenses while their deductions are mismanaged.”
The unions also claim that President William Ruto’s administration has prioritized political optics over critical services, pointing to recent multi-million-shilling donations to churches while public hospitals remain underfunded.
Nyandarua Senator John Methu joined healthcare workers outside Parliament, backing the unions’ concerns.
He criticized the government’s spending priorities, questioning how large sums could be allocated to religious contributions while healthcare funding remains insufficient.
Meanwhile, the unions are demanding an immediate refund of deductions made from civil servants, arguing that their contributions have not translated into access to quality healthcare.
“We are giving the government two weeks to address these issues,” said Atela. “If no action is taken, it will not be business as usual. We will take to the streets to demand change.”
