Public health officers demonstrated in Nairobi on Wednesday, the 92nd day of a nationwide strike, pressing the Ministry of Health to resolve a dispute over pay, staffing and recognition. The march was organised by the Kenya Environmental Health and Public Health Practitioners Union (KEHPHPU), according to The Star, Kenya, which reported that the workers accuse the government of neglect.
Protesters carried placards calling for more public health officers to be hired, for their Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) to be signed, and for better terms of service.
Why it matters
The union argues that the prolonged absence of public health officers from their posts is eroding disease surveillance and preventive care, and it points to the threat of Ebola as a reason for urgency. The strike has now run more than three months, and the workers say no one from the ministry has come to address them.
Union leaders say ministry has not engaged
KEHPHPU national secretary general and chief executive Brown Ashira said the Ministry of Health had disregarded the striking workers throughout the dispute. He said the government's efforts to strengthen prevention and response had been insufficient, citing Ebola as a live concern.
According to The Star, Kenya, Ashira said the union had observed significant risks, including Ebola, without seeing forceful measures to contain the disease. He also said the ministry had not met the union to seek a lasting settlement, noting that the strike had lasted beyond three months with no contact from officials.
The workers frame their demands as a matter of public safety rather than only their own welfare. They say public health officers stop outbreaks before they place heavy strain on hospitals and clinics.
Deputy secretary general Carol Macharia said the union would hold to its position until the government responds to the issues its members have raised. She said the dispute concerns the protection of the wider public from health threats that can be prevented, not just the interests of public health staff.
Border staffing and CBA among core demands
Deputy chairperson Juma Maelo called on the government to hire and post more public health officers at border crossings and other entry points to bolster screening. He warned that thin staffing at those locations could limit the country's ability to detect and contain infectious diseases, particularly with Ebola concerns persisting.
The union also wants a CBA signed promptly to formalise working conditions, and says the outstanding matters must be settled before the strike is called off. It is further seeking higher staffing levels to improve surveillance and to prepare for emerging threats, including possible outbreaks and health risks linked to El Niño.
The Star, Kenya reported that the demonstration was held in the capital on Wednesday and that the strike had reached its 92nd day without resolution.
Coverage of the dispute has extended beyond the labour action itself. Kenyans.co.ke reported that university students issued a 48-hour ultimatum to the government over the health workers' strike, while People Daily reported that varsity students threatened nationwide protests. Ghafla! reported that the officers' action disrupted Nairobi's central business district as the strike escalated over pay and recognition.
What to watch is whether the Ministry of Health opens talks with KEHPHPU, and whether the students' ultimatum produces any movement before the strike passes another week.
