Kenyatta National Hospital, Nairobi (file). Photo: Rotsee via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Listen to this article3 min listenAI voice
Tap play to hear this story
You are listening to Kibra News Network.
79 mothers and babies die in three days as nurses’ strike enters day 37.
Health professional associations say 79 deaths – eight mothers, 16 newborns and 55 perinatal deaths – were recorded in public facilities between Monday and Wednesday this week, as the nationwide nurses' and midwives' strike entered its 37th day.
Kisumu, Nakuru, Kakamega and Kajiado counties reported the highest numbers, the associations of nurses, midwives, doctors and clinical officers said at a press briefing on Thursday, 3 September 2026.
"Most of the healthcare facilities in the public are not taking in admissions," said paediatrician Dr Supa Tunje. Dr Eunice Atsali, vice president of the Midwives Association of Kenya, said: "Our women actually have gone back to giving birth in the village."
Only Level 6 hospitals are taking advanced cases. Dialysis patients have been affected and clinical training for nursing, medical and clinical-officer students has been disrupted.
Where the dispute stands
The Kenya National Union of Nurses and Midwives began the strike on 29 July 2026. It wants the 2017 collective bargaining agreement implemented – estimated at Sh5.9 billion – plus risk and uniform allowances and career guidelines.
"Unless we have an agreeable agreement, we will press on with our strike," Secretary General Seth Panyako said. Council of Governors chairperson Ahmed Abdullahi appealed: "We want to ask nurses to go back to work as we negotiate."
The union notified police of a demonstration by about 9,400 nurses from all 47 counties in Nairobi on Thursday, marching from Green Park to the Salaries and Remuneration Commission and the Council of Governors offices.
Clinical officers have been on a separate strike since 20 June; 37 counties have now signed their CBA. Kenya Medical Association president Ibrahim Matende called for permanent labour dialogue structures, saying "recurring strikes are evidence of systemic governance failures".
For Kibra families: expect most public clinics and hospitals to be turning away admissions. Expectant mothers and patients on dialysis should plan for Level 6 facilities or private care until a deal is signed.
Sources: The Standard; The Star; People Daily
That was a Kibra News Network report, read by an A I voice.
Health professional associations say 79 deaths — eight mothers, 16 newborns and 55 perinatal deaths — were recorded in public facilities between Monday and Wednesday this week, as the nationwide nurses’ and midwives’ strike entered its 37th day.
Kisumu, Nakuru, Kakamega and Kajiado counties reported the highest numbers, the associations of nurses, midwives, doctors and clinical officers said at a press briefing on Thursday, 3 September 2026.
“Most of the healthcare facilities in the public are not taking in admissions,” said paediatrician Dr Supa Tunje. Dr Eunice Atsali, vice president of the Midwives Association of Kenya, said: “Our women actually have gone back to giving birth in the village.”
Only Level 6 hospitals are taking advanced cases. Dialysis patients have been affected and clinical training for nursing, medical and clinical-officer students has been disrupted.
Where the dispute stands
The Kenya National Union of Nurses and Midwives began the strike on 29 July 2026. It wants the 2017 collective bargaining agreement implemented — estimated at Sh5.9 billion — plus risk and uniform allowances and career guidelines.
“Unless we have an agreeable agreement, we will press on with our strike,” Secretary General Seth Panyako said. Council of Governors chairperson Ahmed Abdullahi appealed: “We want to ask nurses to go back to work as we negotiate.”
The union notified police of a demonstration by about 9,400 nurses from all 47 counties in Nairobi on Thursday, marching from Green Park to the Salaries and Remuneration Commission and the Council of Governors offices.
Clinical officers have been on a separate strike since 20 June; 37 counties have now signed their CBA. Kenya Medical Association president Ibrahim Matende called for permanent labour dialogue structures, saying “recurring strikes are evidence of systemic governance failures”.
For Kibra families: expect most public clinics and hospitals to be turning away admissions. Expectant mothers and patients on dialysis should plan for Level 6 facilities or private care until a deal is signed.
KNN Newsroom is the staff byline for stories written, rewritten and edited at the Kibra News Network desk. Where a story credits an outside outlet, the original source is linked at the foot of the piece.
