By Afrireport 
The Kenya Union of Clinical Officers (KUCO) has raised alarm over what it terms a rapidly deteriorating situation in public health facilities.
Following a visit to Mama Lucy Kibaki Hospital by its Secretary General, George Gibore.
Addressing the media outside the facility, Gibore claimed that patients were being attended to exclusively by interns, with no specialist doctors on duty.
According to Gibore, the situation at the hospital reflects a broader crisis unfolding across public hospitals as the ongoing strike by health workers continues to bite.
He said the absence of specialists poses serious risks to patients. These patients require specialised care. He warned that lives could be lost if the standoff between health workers and the government is not urgently resolved.
We have seen for ourselves that only interns are struggling to keep the hospital running. There are no specialists on duty, and this is unacceptable for a facility of this magnitude,” Gibore said. He added that interns, while essential to the health system, are not adequately equipped or authorised to handle complex medical cases without supervision.
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The KUCO Secretary General reiterated a firm stance. The strike would not be called off until the government meets the union’s long-standing demands.
Top among these, he said, is the payment of 19 months’ salary arrears owed to clinical officers.
Gibore described the delays as a violation of workers’ rights and a sign of disregard for the role clinical officers play in delivering healthcare services.
KUCO is demanding the immediate signing of a Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) by the Ministry of Health. They also demand its implementation. This is in addition to the arrears.
The union argues that the CBA would address chronic issues such as remuneration, promotions, deployment and working conditions, which have remained unresolved for years.
Gibore criticised the Ministry of Health. He termed their actions as silence and a lack of commitment to negotiations. He accused them of pushing health workers to the brink.
He urged the government to return to the negotiating table in good faith to avert a full blown health emergency.
Meanwhile, patients and their families continue to bear the brunt of the strike, with reports of delayed services, referrals and overcrowding in facilities still partially operational.
KUCO has called on the government to act swiftly, warning that the situation could worsen if the impasse persists.
