Forty-four days into the Kenya Union of Clinical Officers (Kuco) strike, Kenya’s public health system is facing significant disruption. County hospitals report reduced activity, while referral facilities such as Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) absorb patients from across the country. The strike, which began on July 20, 2026, has affected outpatient clinics, maternity units and diagnostic services in all 47 counties. Patients who would ordinarily seek treatment at nearby county facilities are increasingly travelling to referral hospitals in search of care, contributing to congestion at facilities such as KNH.  

The situation has been intensified by a simultaneous nationwide nurses’ strike, leaving many public hospital wards largely deserted and further limiting access to essential healthcare services. Patients unable to afford private treatment, or to secure beds at private facilities facing increased demand, have been left with fewer options. Kuco chairperson Peterson Wachira said clinical officers provide a wide range of services across health facilities, including outpatient care, specialised services, anaesthesia and eye care, underscoring the extent to which the prolonged strike has affected the delivery of public healthcare. 

(Source: Daily Nation)