Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU) Secretary-General Dr Davji Bhimji Atellah has threatened to call doctors out on strike if the government fails to resolve the ongoing nurses’ dispute within seven days.
Atellah said the prolonged nurses’ strike had severely disrupted healthcare services across the country, leaving doctors working in public hospitals under increasing pressure.
Speaking during a press briefing at the KMPDU headquarters in Nairobi on Monday, September 7, 2026, Atellah said doctors could not continue performing duties meant for nurses.
“Doctors cannot do the nursing jobs,” Atellah said.
He noted that the shortage of doctors had already placed a heavy workload on those remaining in public hospitals, warning that the situation could not continue.
Atellah said nurses had been on strike for more than 40 days, leaving public hospitals operating at what he described as “bare minimum” capacity.
He warned that the prolonged disruption was putting patients at greater risk, particularly children and mothers requiring specialised care.
According to the KMPDU boss, inadequate nursing care was contributing to preventable complications and deaths in public health facilities.
“The social services have been disrupted,” Atellah said, stressing that nursing care remains a critical component of an effective health system.
He accused the government of failing to take decisive action to resolve the dispute despite the nurses’ grievances having been raised for years.
Atellah said many of the issues raised by nurses were not new and had been known since the 2017 Return-to-Work Formula.
He further called on the government to implement agreements reached with health workers and deposited in court.
The KMPDU secretary-general argued that such agreements should be honoured, describing them as court orders.
Atellah said the ongoing nurses’ strike was also affecting doctors, who were being forced to work in an increasingly difficult environment.
He warned that doctors could not be expected to fill the gap created by the absence of nurses.
The union boss said the country was already facing a shortage of doctors, meaning those working in public facilities were carrying heavier workloads.
He said allowing the nurses’ strike to continue would further weaken an already strained public healthcare system.
KMPDU has now given the government seven days to resolve the dispute.
Atellah warned that failure to reach a solution within the deadline could lead to industrial action by doctors.
Atellah also raised concerns over unresolved issues affecting doctors.
He said KMPDU had been assured that some of the outstanding issues would be addressed in August, including adjustments to doctors’ payslips.
However, he said the promised changes had not been implemented.
The union official expressed hope that the adjustments would be made in September.
Atellah said the union would continue monitoring the government’s response while pushing for the implementation of agreements affecting health workers.
The latest warning comes as the nurses’ strike continues to disrupt services in public hospitals across the country.
Nurses are also expected to hold demonstrations in Nairobi on Tuesday, September 8, 2026, as they push the government to address their grievances.
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