Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja is now facing heavy criticism from the Kenya Union of Clinical Officers, who accuse him of letting the capital’s healthcare system fall apart while ignoring urgent reforms.
The union says healthcare in Nairobi is now in a state of collapse because of his failed leadership and careless attitude.
On Monday, KUCO announced that they will hold mass demonstrations on July 17 to protest what they describe as poor conditions in public health facilities and the county’s refusal to implement basic policies that would help clinical officers grow in their careers.
Peterson Wachira, KUCO’s national chairperson, said many health facilities in Nairobi are barely functioning.
He blamed this on the Sakaja-led administration’s lack of concern for the lives of ordinary citizens. Over 500 clinical officers have been on strike for three months now, yet the county has done nothing to fix the situation.
These officers are demanding fair treatment, timely promotions, and implementation of career growth policies that were approved by the Public Service Commission back in May. But City Hall continues to ignore these demands.
Stephen Muthama, who chairs the Nairobi branch of KUCO, said clinical officers have been stuck in the same job group for years with no hope for growth.
He added that there’s already a national policy that clearly outlines how health workers should rise from internship all the way to retirement, but Sakaja’s administration has refused to act.
The union believes the county is either deliberately neglecting healthcare workers or is simply too incompetent to solve the crisis.George Gibore, KUCO’s Secretary General, described Nairobi’s healthcare system as broken.
He accused county health officials of being incompetent and even sabotaging talks meant to resolve the strike. He said it’s shameful that after 83 days of strike, nothing has been done, and patients continue to suffer while facilities fall apart.
According to the union, nearly all public hospitals in the city have shut down. Out of all the health centres in the county, only one Level 5 hospital is partially running, and even that is being held up by interns offering limited services.
KUCO also took aim at other Nairobi leaders like the senator and woman representative, urging them to speak up instead of remaining silent.
They said this crisis affects all residents and should be addressed by everyone who holds office in Nairobi, not just the governor.
Add Comment