Public health facilities could face service disruptions within the next three months if the government fails to address fresh demands by doctors over salaries, staffing and working conditions.
Doctors, through their umbrella body the Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU), have listed a raft of demands they want addressed within 90 days, most of them centred on labour relations, compensation and healthcare reforms.
The resolutions were adopted during the union’s 10th Annual Delegates Conference (ADC) held on Saturday at Safari Park Hotel, where delegates also ratified the leadership team elected on April 2, 2026.
In a statement after the conference, KMPDU secretary general Davji Atellah said doctors had renewed their mandate for action.
Among the key resolutions was a demand for a 55 per cent salary increment under the 2025–29 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), with doctors citing inflation and the rising cost of living.
The union argues that no salary increment has been implemented since 2017, when the current CBA was signed.
Over the period, the annual average inflation rate has stood at about 5.88 per cent, and as of April 2026, the annual inflation rate stood at 5.6 per cent, up from 4.4 per cent recorded in March.
“We are demanding a 55 per cent salary increase based on the 10 years inflation period. Negotiations must be concluded within 90 days, or we move straight into nationwide industrial action,” Atellah said.
The union has also made the settlement of all pending pay disputes a non-negotiable priority for 2026, warning that withdrawal of services remains its fallback option if the government reneges on signed agreements.
“The government has 21 days to reflect basic salary adjustments in our payslips. Failure to do so will trigger immediate contempt of court applications and a strike,” the union resolved.
Doctors are also demanding immediate settlement of all outstanding arrears for the 2024-25 period and payment of pending dues owed to doctors working under the Ministry of Health.
The union further wants all doctors employed by both the national government and the 47 county governments to be provided with comprehensive medical insurance cover without exception.
On employment, KMPDU is pushing for the mandatory annual recruitment of 3,000 doctors and the automatic absorption of interns into permanent and pensionable positions.
The union also resolved to lobby for the repeal of Section 5A of the Universities Act, arguing that it is necessary to protect the quality and standards of medical education in Kenya.
The provision grants the Commission for University Education (CUE) final authority in approving university academic programmes, albeit in consultation with professional regulatory bodies.
KMPDU further adopted policy positions on the Quality of Health and Patient Safety Bill, 2025, and the Human Resources for Health (HRH) Policy and Strategy 2025–2030, which seek to address bottlenecks affecting devolution, doctor welfare and healthcare service delivery.
The proposed law would establish the Quality Healthcare and Patient Safety Authority (QHPSA), an independent regulator with powers to register, license, inspect and shut down health facilities that fail to meet required standards.
Under the proposal, health facilities would also be required to comply with national standards on infrastructure, staffing and service delivery, with compliance tied to accreditation and access to the Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF).
The Bill further proposes penalties and compensation of up to Sh50 million in cases involving gross negligence, with disputes to be handled through a specialised tribunal.
Internally, the union also resolved to finalise and ratify an ongoing constitutional review by the 2027 ADC, enforce strict discipline against unauthorised use of union branding and formally adopt its 2026 budget.
“To better serve you, Secretariat staff are now a common resource, allowing for strategic movement between National and Branch offices,” the union said.
“We have the mandate. We have the roadmap. Now, we must have the unity to see it through, for the journey ahead requires our collective courage.”
