Davji Atellah, Secretary General of the Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU), has raised serious concerns over the handling of hospitals in Kiambu County amid an ongoing strike.
He said the county’s approach to staffing and patient referrals is putting lives at risk.
“You know, in Kiambu County, we have unprecedented, what we call illegal lockout. We went on strike. But counties thought, instead of engaging and resolving the problems, went into politics and into PR and the first instance they did was to employ some doctors, about 50 of them, and then they also had interns,” Dr. Atellah said in an interview at Radio Generation on Tuesday.
He explained that hospitals are unable to function properly because most consultants and specialized staff are absent.
“Here comes a situation where a county operates with 50 doctors, like everything is normal. Each and every week, we used to have letters from doctors reporting complications they couldn’t manage,” he added.
Normally, hospitals rely on a full team, including medical officers, pharmacists, dentists, and consultants, to handle complex cases, especially in pediatric and maternal units.
Going further, Atellah said the strike has led to preventable deaths, particularly among newborns and mothers.
The union has documented 136 cases across two Level Five hospitals ( Kiambu and Thika), complete with patient details, medical records, and contacts.
“Some of the mothers were explaining, I got a preterm baby three months ago. Before the strike, the baby was being managed well, until the strike started…within one month, they lose the baby,” he said.
The Union Secretary-General insists that the Kiambu health crisis, which has claimed over 136 innocent lives, reflects the deeper rot in the healthcare system, including neglect, underfunding, and a blatant disregard for the welfare of both patients and doctors.
He reiterated the union’s commitment to defending doctors’ rights while upholding high standards of healthcare delivery.
Tensions between the union and the Council of Governors (COG) escalated on October 6, 2025, after COG disputed the reports of 136 newborn deaths, calling them inaccurate.
COG Chairman and Wajir Governor Ahmed Abdullahi described the reports appearing in some publications as “not factual but pure witch-hunt.” Atellah fired back, condemning the dismissal of the reports as “false” and terming the statement “heartless and insensitive.”
The union accused governors of ignoring a collapsing health system while seeking treatment abroad, demanding a public apology, an independent probe, and the dissolution of the Kiambu County Government for negligence.
Atellah also criticized Kiambu County and the Council of Governors for political maneuvers rather than addressing the crisis. Kiambu County initially disputed the numbers, claiming fewer cases than reported, while COG labeled the union’s claims as falsified.
“The whole issue here is the PR gimmicks of the Council of Governors. This was going to result in more suffering, rather than resolving the strike. Okay, that began over 139 days ago,” Dr. Atellah said.
The union insists that the strike is legally protected and aimed at restoring patient safety, adequate staffing, and functional referral systems.
In conclusion, Atellah warns that without immediate attention, more preventable deaths are likely to occur.