Duale confirms plan to transition UHC staff to permanent terms

Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale meeting  teams from the national governmentnd health unions. [File. Standard]

Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale has confirmed the ministry’s plan to transition eligible Universal Health Coverage staff to permanent terms after a verification exercise in July.

The exercise will involve teams from the national government, Council of Governors (CoG) and health unions, aiming to clean up payrolls and guide staff integration under ongoing health reforms.

“This process will ensure accurate payroll management as we transition qualified UHC staff to permanent and pensionable terms,” Duale noted during a meeting with union and government officials in Nairobi on Wednesday, July 2. 

The meeting also discussed salary updates and ongoing collective bargaining agreements. 

Health unions present included the Kenya National Union of Nurses (KNUN) Secretary General Seth Panyako and Kenya Union of Clinical Officers (KUCO) Secretary General George Gibore. Dr Daniel Mwai, an advisor to the Presidential Economic Transformation Council, also attended.

KUCO Chair Peterson Wachira and acting CEO of the Directorate of Healthcare Administration (DHA) Eng. Anthony Lenaiyara were among other senior Ministry of Health officials in attendance.

Duale affirmed the government’s support for the Quality Healthcare and Patient Safety Bill, 2025, describing it as a critical step towards strengthening health systems as part of the administration’s wider health sector reforms.