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Medics deployed during Covid-19 protest neglect

Medics camp outside Afya House to demand immediate absorption into permanent and pensionable terms and payment of long-promised gratuity.

Photo credit: File | Nation Media Group

More than 8,500 healthcare workers employed on contract under the Universal Health Coverage (UHC) programme took to the streets, demanding immediate absorption into permanent and pensionable termsand payment of long-promised gratuity.

Chanting slogans and holding placards, the demonstrators demanded must receive full salaries aligned to current market rates as determined by Salaries and Remuneration Commission and approval of budget to pay their salaries before they are transferred to county governments.

UHC workers hold demo outside Afya House, demand permanent contract terms

The health workers, who were deployed to the Covid-19 frontlines in 2020, said they have been left in limbo for five years, working under stagnant contracts, earning less than their peers, and now being handed over to counties without proper transition plans or financial protection.

“We are here to demonstrate because we have been treated unfairly, we want our gratuity and remitted because we have been working for the last five years and have nothing to show for it.  We have lost one of us in a road accident who was travelling from Taita Taveta to attend the demos, he died while coming to fight for his right to better pay,” Doris Ndui, a UHC Staffer from Meru County, told the Nation.

Since the UHC programme was launched, the healthcare workers said that they have lost 44 healthcare workers, many of them by suicide.

“We carry a heavy emotional burden. Our salaries are a quarter of what others in similar roles earn. The government used us, then abandoned us,” said Ms Ndui, holding a sign titled "Those Who Left Us”, bearing names of fallen colleagues.

The health workers called out on the Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale, noting that he was so quick to rush to the media to say they have agreed to work under those unfavourable conditions, yet there was no signing of return return-to-work formula.

On Tuesday last week in a meeting presided over by CS Duale who met with the Council of Governors (CoG) and health sector unions represented by the Kenya National Union of Nurses Secretary General Seth Panyako, he announced that effective July 1st 2025, the ministry will transfer the payroll management of UHC staff to county governments along with the necessary budget to sustain the current stipend terms during the transition.

Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale

Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale addresses journalists at Afya house, Nairobi, on April 17, 2025. 

Photo credit: Billy Ogada | Nation Media Group

“Before the expiry of current contracts, county governments will receive additional funding to facilitate the full absorption of UHC staff into permanent and pensionable terms. Furthermore, service gratuity payments will be considered after the absorption process,” CS Duale said.

However, speaking to Nation in an interview on the sideline of the protests, Desmond Wafula, the National UHC Staff Chairman said they were never invited to the meeting instead the ministry chose to ‘strike a deal ‘with Kenya National Union of Nurses (KNUN) secretary general Seth Panyako who doesn’t represent or speak for them.

  “What Mr Panyako agreed with Duale’ doesn’t hold water and we reject it because we were not involved when issues concerning us were being discussed and ‘rubberstamped,” he told Nation.  

Nigh vigils

“We are not leaving Afya House today, in fact we don’t know when exactly we are leaving, and starting tonight we will hold vigils until what we were promised is delivered and our rights respected,” Mr Wafula said while further reminding that last week, the gave CS Duale and his team two options.

He said, there are only two options. “Option, each UHC medic must be issued with a permanent and pensionable appointment letter as our payroll gets transitioned from health ministry to counties.

“The second option is that UHC staffers must receive full salaries aligned to current market rates as determined by SRC. A legally binding agreement must be signed by all relevant parties, clearly outlining the terms of absorption and specific implementation timelines with the gratuity payments for transparency purposes,” Mr Wafula said.

He adds: “If these conditions are not met, all UHC staffers shall continue with their nationwide strike and protests until the government listens.”

CS Duale has since maintained that all UHC staff grievances were put to bed last week when he met Mr Panyako and other health union leaders.

“Last week, a consultative meeting was held with all the stakeholders and UHC representatives, and we deliberated on matters affecting UHC staffers. An agreement was arrived at that effective July 1st 2025, the management of UHC staff payrolls and associated budgets will be transferred to county governments,” CS Duale said

“UHC staff contracts as agreed between individual staff and counties will remain valid until May 26th as per the signed agreements while transition to permanent and pensionable will be incorporated in to the financial year 2026/27 budget upon contract expiry,” CS Duale further explained adding that gratuity for UHC staff will be processed upon contract expiry following guidance from the Public Service Commission (PSC),”he said.