Baringo medics suspend their strike

Auditor General Nancy Gathungu before the National Assembly's Cohesion Committee at Continental House, Parliament, Nairobi. April 15, 2025. [Elvis Ogina, Standard]Caption

On Wednesday evening, Baringo medics suspended their six-day strike following talks with the county government.The Clinical officers, pharmaceutical and lab technicians commenced their strike on Thursday last week, agitating for promotions, resignations, good working conditions, and payment of their arrears.The strike was suspended following a meeting with the county government officials.

 Clinical Officer Representative, Baringo branch, Philip Yator, said that the county has agreed to issue the promotion letters within a week, among others.“We know there was a humanitarian crisis following the strike, but effective immediately, services will resume, following the agreements,” he said.

 Baringo County medics had issued strike notice letters more than 10 times since 2025, with two strikes in 2026.During an earlier interview with Yator, he explained that the strike has been on and off since 2025.

 He regretted that the medics had stagnated without promotion or a clear explanation, which had led to the sorry state of health. "Before the resumption of the strike, we wrote two letters to the public service board and County Secretary on progress, but none of the letters were responded to," he added.

 On January 19, 2025, the clinicians issued a strike notice, which was then called off.They would later sign an agreement in March, but it wasn’t honored, forcing them to strike on November 15, which lasted for two months.

 A clinician told the Standard that the crippling health care systems in Baringo have seen clinicians and nurses struggle to attend to patients, with allegations that consultant doctors just visit facilities and leave to attend their private hospitals, something they want addressed.

 “We are the ones doing the donkey work. Doctors in Baringo attend to patients with instructions to nurses to speed the process. By noon, they are gone; it's so unfortunate, the health workers are now left to manage the patients,” said a clinician not authorized to speak.He regretted that the County Hospital doesn’t have a gynecologist, with the work left to clinicians and nurses to handle.

 Members of the County Assembly stormed the Baringo County Hospital  following the strike, saying they should advocate for health workers' rights.

 The County Executive Committee, Health Dr.Solomon Sirma, promised to address medics' issues through dialogue.

He urged the locals to stop politicizing healthcare services.