Clinical officers strike called off after agreement with CoG

Kenya Union of Clinical Officers (KUCO) and Council of Governors officials signing a return to work formula on July 8, 2024. [Courtesy]

Kenya Union of Clinical Officers (KUCO) has called off their ninety-nine days long strike and instructed all the members to report back to their work stations within the next twenty-four hours.

This follows the signing of a Return to Work Formula agreement between the workers’ union and the Council of Governors (CoG).

“We have been on strike until today. By virtue of signing this agreement, we are officially declaring that our strike has come to an end,” said KUCO Secretary General George Gibore.

“Our members shall resume duty in their respective places of work starting today,” he added.

Also present for the signing and formalisation of the agreement was CoG vice chairperson and Wajir governor, Ahmed Abdullahi, chairperson of the CoG Health Committee and Tharaka Nithi governor Muthomi Njuki, and KUCO chairman Peterson Wachira.

The clinical officers’ strike began on April 1, 2024, a week into the doctors' strike, which lasted fifty-six days, leading to a paralysis of the provision of healthcare services in public hospitals.

The union’s members withdrew their services to demand for conclusion on negotiations for a new Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), employment of members on permanent and pensionable terms, promotion of officers, employment of new officers and posting of clinical officer interns.

Their announcement coincides with doctors’ fresh protests over the government’s failure to honour certain aspects of the return to work formula they signed on May 8, 2024.

According to the agreement, the Ministry of Health pledged to post intern doctors for their compulsory medical internship but is yet to do so prompting the #OccupyMOH demonstrations today.