Desperate patients turned away as doctors' strike enters second week

Patients across Nairobi County are enduring worsening agony as the doctors' and clinical officers' strike enters its second week.

With over 300 doctors downing their tools in protest over alleged illegal dismissals and the delayed implementation of their Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), hospitals have been thrown into disarray, leaving patients at the mercy of their illnesses—some succumbing to conditions that could have been treated.

At Mbagathi Hospital, the crisis is deepening. The number of patients seeking medical attention has surged compared to the previous week, yet only two consultation rooms remain operational.

In the early morning hours, Rooms 3 and 4 were packed with patients waiting in distress—some holding onto the hope of seeing a doctor, while others, overwhelmed by exhaustion and frustration, gave up and returned home untreated.

By 5 am, desperate patients had already started arriving, clinging to the hope of receiving care. After paying the required consultation fee of Sh200, many still found themselves being shuffled from one department to another, with no doctor in sight.

Last week, around four consultation offices were functioning; now, only two remain open in the outpatient section. Some patients have waited the entire day only to be told to return the next day, further exacerbating their suffering.

As the strike drags on, Nairobi's public hospitals remain in crisis, with lives hanging in the balance.

Margaret (not her real name) arrived at Mbagathi Hospital as early as 5 am on Wednesday, hoping to obtain a medical report for an accident. Having already queued in vain the previous week, she was determined to complete the process. She had paid Sh1,300 for several tests, yet the absence of doctors continued to stall her case.

"I've been sent from one department to another—first to check my weight, then to measure my temperature... Only for them to tell me that the doctors aren’t available to finalise the report. Now, I have to wait in line indefinitely," she said.

Margaret recalls a heartbreaking incident recently when a friend, suffering from a heart condition, was forced to wait for hours due to the absence of doctors. With no treatment available, her condition worsened. She collapsed in the waiting area and was later pronounced dead.

The situation remains dire, with hospitals turning away patients due to a lack of specialists. Only those with minor ailments receive care, while those in need of urgent medical attention are left to suffer—or worse, sent home without help.

At Mbagathi Hospital’s waiting bay, Linda Auma sits in deep contemplation, torn between paying for a lab test or walking away altogether. She has been instructed to proceed with the test, but with no doctors available, she wonders whether the expense will be worth it. The only two consultants on duty are completely overwhelmed, their offices surrounded by desperate patients, some too exhausted even to lift their heads.

"Instead of spending money on the lab test, I’d rather go to a private clinic. At least there, I have a chance of actually getting treated," she says.

Eunice, visiting the hospital for the first time, is equally stranded. She needs a medical report but stares at the endless queue, unsure whether joining it is worth the effort. "It doesn’t look like it’s moving at all. I don’t even know if I’ll get the report today," she says.

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• Doctors' Strike
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• Pumwani Hospital
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The situation is no better at Pumwani Hospital, where pregnant women in need of urgent medical care are being turned away. Only routine antenatal clinics remain operational, offering basic pregnancy check-ups. Those suffering from illnesses beyond standard prenatal visits are being told to seek treatment elsewhere—a nearly impossible task for many.

Mercy Wanja, heavily pregnant and in distress, is among those left stranded. She holds her belly protectively, pain evident in her eyes. "They’ve told me to go to another hospital, but I don’t have the money. I’m in pain, and I don’t know what to do," she says.

While emergency cases are still being admitted, the majority of patients are left to fend for themselves. The long queues, empty consultation rooms, and growing desperation paint a grim picture of a healthcare system on the brink of collapse.

The situation remains dire across Nairobi’s major hospitals, where long queues stretch endlessly, and desperate patients are being turned away due to the ongoing doctors’ and clinical officers’ strike. At Mbagathi, Mama Lucy, and Pumwani hospitals, thousands seeking medical attention are met with empty consultation rooms, overworked staff, and uncertainty about when—if ever—they will receive treatment.

The striking healthcare workers, including many who previously served under the now-defunct Nairobi Metropolitan Services (NMS), are demanding payment of delayed salaries, reinstatement of illegally dismissed staff, stalled promotions, unpaid gratuities, and confirmation letters that have yet to be issued.

The Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists, and Dentists Union (KMPDU), together with the Kenya Union of Clinical Officers (KUCO), defended the strike, citing years of frustration and government neglect.

On their X handle, KMPDU highlighted the ongoing plight of Nairobi’s doctors, who continue to suffer from wage theft, harsh working conditions, and government neglect—with some having gone unpaid for four years. Instead of resolving the crisis, the county has resorted to firing them, openly violating the 2017 collective bargaining agreement.

Meanwhile, patients are the hardest hit, struggling with overcrowded hospitals, critical staff shortages, and limited access to essential medical care.