Nairobi doctors suspend 39-day strike after talks with Sakaja

The Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU) has suspended the Nairobi doctors’ strike after reaching a consensus with the Nairobi County Government and the Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH).

The move comes after nearly six weeks of industrial action that had disrupted health services in the capital.

The agreement, reached on Tuesday, April 8, 2025, resolves nine major issues that had been at the heart of the medical professionals’ demands.

In a statement shared on X, the union expressed satisfaction with the outcome of the negotiations.

"After 39 days of unity and persistence, we are glad to announce the suspension of the Nairobi County Doctors’ Strike. A clear path has been established to address all nine of our demands," read the post.

The breakthrough followed extensive talks with Governor Johnson Sakaja and officials from the national government.

The resolution marks a significant step forward in addressing the long-standing concerns of medical professionals in Nairobi, paving the way for a return to normalcy in public health facilities.

Among the key issues agreed upon in the deal is the immediate reinstatement of doctors who had been dismissed during the course of the strike.

Additionally, the county committed to issuing 369 Promotion and Posting (PnP) letters by May 1, 2025.

Another major breakthrough includes the settlement of pending salary arrears for doctors at Mama Lucy Kibaki Hospital, with payments dating back to 2021 expected to reflect in the May 2025 payslips.

The agreement also secures the payment of gratuity for doctors who served under the now-defunct Nairobi Metropolitan Services (NMS), with disbursements scheduled for July 2025.

In terms of career progression, the deal outlines specific promotion targets, elevating 72 doctors to job group S, 80 to group Q, and 78 to group R, all to be completed by July 15, 2025.

Furthermore, there was notable progress made toward implementing a 4% mortgage facility for the medics.

The strike, which began at midnight on February 27, 2025, involved all doctors under Nairobi County, including those who had previously served under the now defunct Nairobi Metropolitan Services (NMS).

The medics withdrew their services in protest over a series of long-standing grievances, including chronic salary delays, unlawful dismissals, stalled promotions, unpaid gratuities, and delays in the issuance of confirmation letters.

These challenges, doctors said, had severely undermined their morale and professional dignity.