KMPDU protests doctors’ exclusion from Ebola preparedness, demands protective gear for healthcare workers

The concerns come after the Ministry of Health announced a third Ebola case, detected through contact tracing linked to the first confirmed patient about two weeks ago.

KMPDU Secretary General Dr. Davji Atellah said the union’s trained healthcare professionals had not been adequately involved in efforts to contain the disease, warning that a coordinated response was necessary to address the growing concerns.

Speaking to the press after a union meeting in Naivasha, Atellah called on the Ministry of Health to involve doctors in preparedness and response measures, while providing adequate and quality protective equipment to safeguard healthcare workers.

“The Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union has been excluded from the ongoing Ebola preparedness and response amid rising cases in the country,” Atellah said.

He also urged the government to isolate individuals identified through contact tracing in accordance with World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines to minimise the risk of further transmission.

Union National Chairman Abidan Mwachi criticised the Ministry of Health over what he described as inadequate preparedness and a lack of protective equipment, warning that healthcare workers could be exposed to the disease.

“We demand that the Ministry of Health involve doctors in the Ebola preparedness and response measures to contain the disease,” Mwachi said.

Beyond the Ebola response, Atellah renewed calls for the government to honour its commitment to employ more than 2,000 doctors to improve access to healthcare and the quality of services offered to Kenyans.

He warned that healthcare workers could go on strike if outstanding salary adjustment issues were not resolved by the end of October, claiming that 29 counties had failed to implement previously agreed salary adjustments.

Atellah also raised concerns over delays in payments to healthcare facilities by the Social Health Authority (SHA), warning that the union could suspend services if the outstanding salary and SHA remittance issues remained unresolved.

“As a union, we will move to suspend all our services if the pending issues on salaries and delayed SHA remittances to hospitals are not addressed by the end of the year,” he said.

The KMPDU secretary general also announced plans to push for further healthcare reforms through Parliament, while declaring his intention to contest the Lang’ata parliamentary seat in the 2027 General Election.

The union backed Atellah’s bid, arguing that his election would provide an opportunity to advance reforms in the healthcare sector.