NAIROBI, Kenya – A total of 43 medical officers and specialists previously employed under the now-defunct Nairobi Metropolitan Services (NMS) will transition to permanent and pensionable employment with the Nairobi County Government.
This resolution emerged from a critical meeting between the Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU) Secretary General Dr. Davji Atellah and Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja.
“In our agreement, all 43 doctors (35 medical officers and 8 specialists) will be confirmed to permanent and pensionable terms,” Dr. Atellah announced.
The doctors are expected to collect their new employment contracts from City Hall on Monday, August 12, 2024.
This development is part of a broader strategy to integrate all 115 medical officers and 18 specialists from the NMS into permanent roles, with additional hires including 35 medical officers, 31 pharmacists, 20 dentists, and 8 specialists.
Dr. Atellah expressed gratitude towards Governor Sakaja for his unwavering support and recognition of the essential role played by medical professionals.
The abolition of the NMS by Governor Sakaja in September 2022, shortly after his election, initially cast uncertainty over the future of these medical professionals.
However, Sakaja’s administration has since taken over health and related services, pledging to integrate all former NMS employees seamlessly into the county’s workforce.
At a City Hall address on September 30, 2022, Sakaja assured all NMS employees of their continued importance in the county’s operations.
“You are all now one. There is no former NMS staff and no former county government staff. You are all staff of the County and you will work together as equals,” he emphasized.
Sakaja also reassured nurses who had feared job losses that their services remained crucial.
The integration of NMS doctors was among the 19 demands made by medics during a 56-day nationwide strike earlier this year.
