Duale: Govt to absorb nurses on permanent basis after elimination of ghost workers
By Nancy Marende, August 2, 2025Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale has announced that the government is set to transition nurses under the Universal Health Coverage (UHC) programme to permanent and pensionable terms.
This follows an ongoing vetting and verification exercise aimed at rooting out ghost workers and ensuring only qualified personnel are retained.
Speaking on Saturday, August 2, 2025, Duale emphasised that the Ministry of Health is in the final stages of processing the results of the verification, with deployments of legitimate UHC nurses expected as early as next week.
“When we finish the processing of the vetting and verification exercise, we will post UHC nurses. We are about to finish anytime next week,” he stated.
Further, the CS issued a stern warning to individuals who may have fraudulently benefited from UHC salaries without the required qualifications.
“Before that, if you are not a nurse by profession and you have been earning the money of UHC all these years, you will meet the rule of law, and we will ask you to refund our money,” he added.
Strike notice
This comes a few months after the Kenya National Union of Nurses (KNUN) issued a 26-day strike notice, signalling a potential nationwide work stoppage starting June 24, 2025, unless the government addresses their long-standing grievances.
The announcement, led by KNUN Secretary-General Seth Panyako, highlights critical issues affecting nurses, particularly those employed under the Universal Health Coverage (UHC) program.
Speaking at a press briefing in Nairobi, Panyako emphasised that the strike would disrupt nursing services across the country if demands are not met within the stipulated period.
Central to the union’s concerns is the call for UHC nurses to be employed on permanent and pensionable terms, addressing what they describe as exploitative working conditions.
“We are not machines!” Panyako declared, citing overwork and underpayment as key issues driving the ultimatum.
KNUN, which represents thousands of nurses and midwives, is also pressing both national and county governments to resolve additional grievances, including poor working conditions and delayed promotions.
The union’s demands come amid growing frustration over the government’s handling of the UHC program, which nurses argue has left them overburdened and underpaid.