KMPDU suspends all medical services in Siaya over violence
By Eric Juma, December 2, 2025Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU) has suspended services in Siaya health facilities over threats of violence against physicians.
The KMPDU noted that Siaya health facilities are engulfed in harsh environments, frustrating doctors from delivering services to the community.
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Led by KMPDU Nyanza chairman, Onyango Ndonga, on Tuesday, December 2, 2025, the union said, “We won’t bury our heads in the sand. Our members have encountered harassment, intimidation, and in some cases, physical assault by patients or relatives while discharging their duties.”
Ndonga added that some of these acts were reportedly perpetrated by government leaders. Doctors in Siaya have lodged complaints of verbal abuse and intimidation during consultations.
“Several cases of threats and beatings have been documented in local hospitals, particularly in emergency wards. Fear and insecurity among medical staff are leading to burnout, absenteeism, and reluctance to serve in high-risk facilities. Violence against physicians is not just an attack on individuals but on the entire healthcare system. If left unchecked, it will erode public trust, drive skilled professionals away, and leave communities vulnerable,” Ndonga said.
On Sunday, November 30, 2025, a doctor was assaulted by county staff and the area chief.
The doctors demanded that the Siaya County government deploy adequate security to all hospitals.
“We also want swift passage of legislation that criminalises violence against medical professionals and guarantees strict penalties,” he added. “Community accountability with leaders fostering respect and trust between patients and providers is essential.”
Ndonga said these incidents endanger the lives of medical professionals and compromise the quality of care delivered to the community.
“As the doctors’ union, our members will not continue to risk their lives in unsafe workplaces until measures guaranteeing our safety are implemented. We have boycotted duties in Siaya County hospitals,” he said.
This action, the union emphasised, is necessary to protect the dignity, safety, and lives of physicians. Doctors will not return to work until security is strengthened in all health facilities, perpetrators of violence are prosecuted promptly, and a binding framework is established to prevent future attacks.
Ndonga cited previous assaults, including the 2024 attack on senior oncologist Balaji Jagannathan, who was stabbed multiple times by a patient. He survived, but the attack shocked the medical community.
Ndonga also referenced a 2025 incident in Mumbai, where three doctors at Cooper Hospital were assaulted by patients’ relatives after the hospital reduced private security staff.
The KMPDU was reacting to attacks on Bondo Sub-County physicians following negligence allegations.
The incident occurred around 10 p.m. when a gunshot victim, identified as Walter, was rushed to Bondo Hospital. Walter, who runs a chain of butcheries in Bondo and the surrounding areas, had been shot by unknown assailants at the CBD.
Members of the public rushed him to Bondo Hospital, where he later died.