The Kenya Union of Clinical Officers (KUCO) has called off their strike after signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Ministry of Health and the Council of Governors on Wednesday, March 12.
In a statement, Health Cabinet Secretary Deborah Barasa confirmed that members of the union have been directed to resume duty within 24 hours after the agreement.
According to Barasa, the agreement came as a result of a series of engagements the three parties have had in the past few weeks.
"Over the past few weeks, our clinical officers and the Ministry of Health have engaged in extensive and progressive consultations with all relevant stakeholders in a bid to find an amicable resolution to the issues at hand," she stated.
"Today, I am pleased to announce that following productive discussions, the clinical officers’ strike has been called off following negotiations between the Ministry of Health and the leadership of our clinical workers’ caucus," she added.
Acknowledging the fundamental role clinical officers play in the Kenyan healthcare system, Barasa affirmed that the government will remain keen on addressing their key concerns through continuous engagement with the council.
Barasa further expressed the government's commitment to ensuring the needs of healthcare workers in the country are met to reinforce the country's goal to achieve Universal Health Coverage.
"As we advance towards the full realisation and implementation of Universal Health Coverage (UHC) under Taifa Care, it is imperative that all healthcare workers—including clinical officers—remain actively engaged in shaping policies that improve working conditions, enhance service delivery, and strengthen our healthcare infrastructure," she stated.
On February 17, KUCO announced that it would commence its strike, citing unfulfilled Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) and Universal Health Coverage (UHC) demands.
The strike was confirmed by the National Association of Clinical Officers Anaesthetists (NACOA) Secretary General Daniel Kithome in a statement directed to NACOA members, which KUCO reposted on its official X account.
"Our union (KUCO) has announced a Clinical Officers' strike commencing at midnight today due to various issues, such as the inability of our cadre to preauthorise UHC and CBA," he stated.
"As the leadership of the association, we fully support the Union and therefore call upon you to accord them the necessary support for the goal to be achieved," he added.
The strike added to a series of strikes issued by the clinical officers since last year.
