Crisis Unfolds: Alarming Deaths Amidst Nurses' Strike, KNCHR Declares Human Rights Emergency

The Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR) has issued a stark warning, declaring that the ongoing nurses’ strike has escalated into a national public health and human rights crisis. With the strike entering its 37th day, essential health services across the country have been severely disrupted, threatening patients’ fundamental rights to life, healthcare, and emergency treatment. Nurses and midwives from various hospitals have converged in Nairobi for industrial action, with protests specifically noted on August 25, 2026, demanding the implementation of the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).

KNCHR highlighted that the prolonged industrial action is exposing patients to preventable suffering, indignity, and loss of life. The commission has taken note of a report by health professionals indicating a alarming total of 79 deaths recorded between Monday, August 31, and Wednesday, September 2. These tragic figures include eight maternal, 16 neonatal, and 55 perinatal deaths. The commission emphasized the urgent need for action to prevent any further loss of life and called for immediate intervention by the national and county governments to restore vital health services.

In response to the reported fatalities, KNCHR urged that these deaths be independently verified to establish their circumstances. They also called for a comparison of mortality rates during the strike against levels recorded during the corresponding period in 2025 and other relevant baseline periods. Furthermore, the Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Council (KMPDC), in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and county health authorities, was urged to urgently investigate these reported deaths and make its findings public.

The disruption of healthcare services is particularly concerning as Article 43 of the Constitution guarantees every person the right to the highest attainable standard of health, stipulating that no individual may be denied emergency medical treatment. KNCHR underscored that the prolonged dispute cannot be permitted to develop into a wider public health emergency. The commission called upon the Ministry of Health and county governments to immediately coordinate a national emergency response, ensuring the continuity of critical services such as maternity, neonatal, emergency, intensive care, dialysis, oncology, trauma, ambulance, and referral services. An accurate assessment of all affected health services was also requested to be made public.

Health professionals have reported growing disruption in public hospitals, affecting patients requiring specialized treatment, including those undergoing dialysis, as well as those needing hospital admission. Dr. Supa Tunje, a paediatrician, noted that most public healthcare facilities are not taking in admissions, though some Level Six facilities may still accommodate advanced care patients, their capacity is limited. Dr. Eunice Atsali, vice-president of the Midwives Association of Kenya, warned of the severe consequences for expectant mothers, stating that women are