A family in Turiru village, Gatundu North, is mourning the loss of their 11-year-old son, who died on Tuesday, May 27, 2025, at Igegania Level Four Hospital amid an ongoing doctors’ strike in Kiambu County.  

The tragic incident has brought to light the severe human cost of the countywide industrial action by healthcare workers.  

The boy, suffering from severe pneumonia, was brought to Igegania Hospital on Tuesday morning in a critical condition.

Family members said doctors recommended urgent referral to Thika Level Five Hospital for specialised treatment. However, due to the strike, Thika Hospital could not admit the patient.

No alternative

With no alternative, the family returned the child to Igegania, where medics attempted to stabilise his condition while searching for another referral facility.

Maragua Hospital, in neighbouring Murang’a County, eventually agreed to receive the patient, but before the ambulance arrived, the child died around 2 pm.

Tensions erupted following the boy’s death.

In a viral social media video, the grief-stricken grandfather attacked hospital security guard Charles Barasa while holding the child’s lifeless body.  

Barasa had approached the family to offer condolences but was met with kicks and punches that disrupted hospital operations.

The grandfather, overwhelmed by grief and frustration, also damaged hospital property, including a television set, a computer, and a lighting system.

Distraught family members blamed the tragedy on delays caused by the doctors’ strike and have called on Kiambu Governor Kimani Wamatangi to resolve the crisis swiftly.

“We are in pain. Our boy is gone because the system failed us. We urge the governor to act now before more lives are lost,” Faith Wanjiku, a family member, said.

The Kiambu government is investigating the circumstances of the child’s death.

Health executive Dr Elias Maina announced that a probe was underway to establish the full details.  

During a visit to Igegania Hospital, Maina revealed the county had terminated the contracts of doctors who failed to report to work on Tuesday, citing absenteeism and endangerment of public lives.

He said a headcount was underway to identify all health workers who had abandoned duty.

Maina dismissed claims that the county was delaying salaries, asserting no health worker was owed payment.

Despite a court order, the Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU) vowed to continue the strike.

KMPDU chairman Abidan Mwachi said the strike resulted from the county government’s failure to resolve their issues.

“We are here to announce that the doctors’ strike in Kiambu County is ongoing. It is fuelled by the leadership of the county, which is not interested in resolving matters brought before them,” Mwachi said.

Working conditions

He noted most county doctors were resigning due to poor working conditions and claimed Kiambu has the highest number of doctors undergoing rehabilitation or admitted to hospitals for drug abuse and alcoholism.  

Most of the doctors, he claimed, had worked 14 years without promotions, and raised concerns about inadequate equipment and medical cover for health professionals.

KMPDU central region branch chairman James Githinji said the strike aims to improve working conditions in Kiambu for medics and ensure patients receive services from comfortable doctors.

“We are tired of burying doctors because of burnout and also taking care of alcoholics who are brought up by the poor remuneration and a toxic work environment where one does not know what is expected to do the following day,” he said.  

“We have been used to getting transfers every Friday, which means that there is no growth in the county.”

Githinji stressed that doctors would stay away from health facilities until all their grievances are addressed.