Meru doctors threaten strike over staffing shortages, study leave denials

The Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU) has issued a 14-day strike notice to the Meru County government, warning that health services could grind to a halt if long-standing labour disputes are not resolved.

In a statement to newsrooms, KMPDU Secretary General Dr. Davji Atellah accused the county of persistently failing to meet its legal and contractual obligations to doctors, saying the situation has left many medics working under what he termed “exploitative employment terms.”

Dr. Atellah said the decision to issue the strike notice followed multiple unsuccessful attempts to engage the county through negotiations.

“Despite our numerous attempts to seek an amicable resolution through follow-up engagements, the County leadership has demonstrated a blatant disregard for the Employment Act, the Labour Relations Act, the Doctors' 2017-2021 CBA, and the Schemes of Service,” he said.

Top on the union’s list of grievances is the continued hiring of doctors on locum and short-term contracts. The union is demanding the immediate conversion of all affected doctors to permanent and pensionable terms.

KMPDU also wants the county to effect long-overdue promotions, noting that some doctors have remained stuck in the same job group for more than a decade, resulting in salary stagnation.

The union further cited acute staffing shortages, claiming doctors are being forced to work far beyond the statutory 40-hour work week, leading to burnout and limiting their ability to take study leave.

It also accused the county of routinely denying doctors permission to pursue postgraduate studies, a move the union says threatens professional development and specialized care in the region.

The union has given the county 14 days to address all the concerns in full, saying it remains open to genuine, time-bound negotiations. However, Dr. Atellah warned that failure to act will trigger industrial action.

“Upon the expiry of this period, if the County Government fails to meet these demands in totality, all doctors shall withdraw their services and down tools effective midnight on Friday, March 6, 2026,” he said.