The Kiambu County Government has dismissed claims of a total collapse of healthcare services in the region, despite the ongoing doctors’ strike that has lasted 127 days.
In a statement on Friday, County Health Executive Elijah Nyagah assured residents that hospitals remain operational, with a significant number of doctors still reporting to duty.
“I want to correct a few misconceptions. The first is that doctors in Kiambu are not working. That is not true. Doctors in Kiambu are working,” Nyagah stated, countering reports shared by the Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Union (KMPDU).
The assurance came amid concerns that the prolonged strike had led to tragic outcomes. Reports indicated that at least 136 newborns and five mothers lost their lives during the dispute, allegedly due to the absence of doctors. Critics have blamed Governor Kimani Wamatangi for failing to address the grievances of healthcare workers.
Wamatangi, however, dismissed the accusations as politically driven. He maintained that only a small fraction of doctors had joined the strike, and confirmed that salaries for those participating had been stopped as a disciplinary measure.
The crisis has drawn national attention, with Members of Parliament calling for the transfer of Kiambu’s healthcare services to the national government. Lobby groups have also issued a seven-day ultimatum to the county to resolve the matter or face a formal petition seeking its dissolution.
Former Chief Justice David Maraga weighed in, criticizing the Social Health Authority (SHA) for locking out Kenyans from essential healthcare. “The so-called managed healthcare system is anything but managed. It is impunity when deductions are made from the people, but they are denied access to services,” he said.
Meanwhile, Githunguri MP Gathoni Wamuchomba urged professional bodies and civil society to urgently intervene, warning that residents’ lives remain at risk if the impasse continues
