The standoff between the Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU) and the Council of Governors (COG) has deepened following the governors’ dismissal of reports alleging the deaths of over 100 infants at Kiambu Level 5 Hospital.
In a strong statement, COG termed the reports “false and misleading,” warning the doctors’ union against politicising the crisis.
“A report on the death of 102 babies in Kiambu is a lie. Stop politicising the issue. We’re warning the KMPDU to stop. As COG, we stand with the governor of Kiambu,” the council said.
COG maintained that the situation in Kiambu was under control and that investigations were ongoing to establish the facts behind the public outcry. The council further urged medical unions to avoid spreading misinformation that could “erode public confidence in the health system.”
However, the doctors’ union has fired back, accusing the governors of downplaying a serious humanitarian crisis that has left families shattered. Speaking to KMB media in response to the COG statement, KMPDU Deputy Secretary-General Dr. Dennis Miskellah said the union would not engage in a numbers debate, insisting that even a single preventable death was unacceptable.
“We don’t consider the success of our strikes based on the number of people who died, the number of Kenyans who suffered. That’s not how we consider our strikes,” said Dr. Miskellah.
“Even if only one child died, we’d still be heartbroken. So, they can give the alternative figures, but how many do they want to die before they act? It’s a family grieving. So, according to them, that’s too little or too more. They should tell us how many they want to die before they can act. Period. Because those people are not just numbers. They are families grieving,” he added.
Meanwhile, bereaved mothers in Kiambu according to KMPDU, have launched an petition demanding justice and accountability for the deaths of newborns at the county referral hospital. The petition, which has now garnered over 26,000 signatures, calls for a transparent audit of maternal and neonatal deaths during the ongoing strike.
The mothers’ group has also appealed to President William Ruto and Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale to intervene and ensure that essential services in maternity wards are restored immediately.
As the blame game intensifies, KMPDU has announced plans for nationwide demonstrations in solidarity with the striking doctors in Kiambu. The union said the protests will highlight what it describes as “a health system in crisis,” where both patients and healthcare workers continue to suffer due to government inaction.
The Ministry of Health has yet to issue an official statement on the alleged deaths, but insiders indicate that the ministry is in talks with both the COG and KMPDU to de-escalate tensions. However, as grieving families seek justice and doctors stand their ground, the crisis in Kiambu continues to expose the fragile state of Kenya’s public healthcare system.
