Kiambu doctors suspend services over salary delays

KMPDU Secretary General Davji Atella addressing journalists during a press conference on Wednesday. [ Collins Oduor, Standard]

Doctors in Kiambu County have suspended services until their August and September salaries are paid in full.

In a statement on Wednesday, the Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists, and Dentists Union (KMPDU) accused the Kiambu County government of violating the return-to-work formula signed on May 8, 2024, between the Union and the National Government.

“Our patience has been tested, but the County Government must now face the reality of its inaction,” KMPDU said. 

The medics have asked the county government to hire additional staff to ease the strain in hospitals, citing overwork, fatigue, and burnout among medical personnel.

“Doctors are enforcing the legal 40-hour workweek. The days of being overworked are over. Any schedule demanding more is void, and the union will ensure this right is upheld. Hiring more doctors is not a burden on the wage bill—it’s an investment in Kiambu’s future,” the Union stated.

“Three doctors have already taken their own lives due to unbearable pressures in Kiambu. This is not just a crisis for doctors—it’s a crisis for the people of Kiambu.”

Last month, Dr. Desree Moraa, a medical intern at Gatundu Level 5 Hospital in Kiambu, died by suicide, highlighting the severe stress medical interns face in Kenya.