The nurses’ strike in Mombasa has extended into its fourth consecutive day as of Monday, August 3, 2026, with patients at public health facilities reporting significant delays and limited medical services.
At one county hospital, mothers with newborns expressed frustration over the lack of medical attention. One mother said no health worker had checked on her baby since admission to the nursery.
Another patient, Melody Kanini, described the situation as alarming, noting that nurses were slow to attend to wards and medical care had largely stalled. She also raised concerns that some newborns had not received routine immunisations such as the BCG vaccine.
County Government Response
The strike stems from unresolved disputes between the Kenya National Union of Nurses and Midwives and county governments, involving delayed implementation of the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), Universal Health Coverage (UHC) staffing issues, and career progression concerns.
Mombasa Governor Abdulswamad Sheriff Nassir has labelled the strike premature and urged nurses to resume talks, emphasizing dialogue over industrial action. He announced plans to recruit 573 nurses to mitigate the strike’s impact on health services.
Despite these assurances, reports from patients indicate that maternity and inpatient wards are experiencing service disruptions due to the ongoing industrial action.
Wider Impact
- The strike began last week and is affecting public health facilities in multiple counties nationwide.
- Negotiations between the union and county governments remain unresolved, prolonging the disruption.
