Looming civil servants strike as they issue 30-day notice over health insurance woes

The Union of Kenya Civil Servants (UKCS) has issued a 30-day strike notice over the government’s failure to pay their medical bills as stipulated in the Public Officers Medical Fund (POMF).

The civil servants said the strike will be nationwide as they lamented that despite deductions from their salaries, they are unable to pay their medical bills over non-remittance by the government.

They said many of them are unable to access health services.

“The comprehensive medical cover was established in 2012 when civil servants forfeited their medical allowance for an insurance scheme,” the Kenya Medical, Pharmacy and Dentist Union Secretary-General Davji Atellah stated.

The SG accused the government of forcing them to fundraise to pay medical bills while they remit 2.75 per cent of their salaries to the Social Health Authority.

“Public servants are back to fundraising for medical needs despite being deducted twice—2.75 per cent to SHIF and forfeiture of medical allowance to POMF,” he said.

UKCS Secretary-General Tom Odege warned that civil servants at both the national and county levels will join the demonstrations set to begin next week as they prepare for the strike.

“We are giving the government two weeks to resolve this issue once and for all. Failure to do so, we will call on all civil servants in both national and county governments to join demonstrations starting on March 18. The union also cautioned that a complete shutdown could follow within 30 days,” he cautioned.

Their demand comes as private hospitals across the country have stopped offering services under POMF due to unpaid claims.

POMF, which is managed by SHA, replaced the previous fee-for-service model after the SHA Act was enacted in 2023.

The looming strike comes as the government grapples with financial constraints under the new health system.