NAIROBI, Kenya – Hundreds of healthcare workers under the Universal Health Coverage (UHC) programme staged a demonstration outside the Ministry of Health headquarters in Nairobi on Monday, decrying poor working conditions and unfulfilled government promises.
Waving the Kenyan flag and blowing vuvuzelas, the workers blocked the entrance to Afya House as they demanded an audience with Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale.
The protest briefly disrupted traffic on Cathedral Road as demonstrators rallied outside the ministry gates, chanting slogans and carrying placards calling for justice and fairness in the health sector.
The workers—who include nurses, clinical officers, public health officers, laboratory technicians, and community health assistants—have been on strike since February, paralysing services in county hospitals where most are stationed.
Key among their grievances are the failure to renew contracts, discrepancies in salary payments, and the refusal to transition long-serving staff to permanent and pensionable (PnP) terms.
Some have served for more than five years under short-term contracts.
Monday’s protest marks the latest in a series of actions by UHC workers.
In March, they marched to Parliament twice to petition the Senate for urgent intervention in what they describe as systemic neglect by both the national and county governments.
The situation is further complicated by the government’s recent move to transfer the UHC payroll from the national government to county administrations starting July 1—an arrangement that the workers fear will worsen delays and inconsistencies in salaries.
Despite their prolonged strike, no concrete steps have been taken to address their demands, leading to growing frustration and fears of a collapse in county-level healthcare delivery if the stalemate persists.
