Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale on Monday chaired a high-level consultative meeting with the Council of Governors (CoG) and representatives from key health sector unions to deliberate on the employment transition of Universal Health Coverage (UHC) staff.
The meeting, held in Nairobi, brought together CoG CEO Mary Mwiti, Kenya National Union of Nurses (KNUN) Secretary General Seth Panyako, and other union leaders to address concerns raised by UHC staff over their contractual terms.
It follows earlier engagements aimed at streamlining the integration of frontline health workers into Kenya’s healthcare system under the Taifa Care Model.
Hon. Duale reaffirmed the government’s commitment to permanently absorbing UHC staff and ensuring their service is recognized and rewarded.
Key resolutions from the meeting include the transfer of UHC payroll management to County Governments, effective July 1, 2025. The Ministry of Health will also provide budgetary support to sustain the current stipend levels during the transition phase.
“County Governments will receive the necessary funding to ensure that UHC staff are fully absorbed into permanent and pensionable terms before their current contracts expire,” said CS Duale. “Additionally, service gratuity payments will be addressed upon completion of the absorption process.”
Presided over a consultative meeting with the Council of Governors (CoG), represented by CEO Mary Mwiti and health union leaders led by the Kenya National Union of Nurses (KNUN) Sec Gen. Seth Panyako, to address concerns raised by Universal Health Coverage (UHC) staff.
Key… pic.twitter.com/BmRvyrjmKU
— Hon. Aden Duale, EGH (@HonAdenDuale) May 6, 2025
Union representatives welcomed the announcements and praised the Ministry’s leadership in addressing long-standing workforce concerns. KNUN’s Seth Panyako, along with other union leaders including Nicholas Odipo of the Kenya Union for Medical Laboratory Officers and George Gibore of the Kenya Union of Clinical Officers, expressed optimism about the government’s direction.
Also present at the meeting were Principal Secretary for Medical Services Dr. Ouma Oluga, Director General for Health Dr. Patrick Amoth, and other senior Ministry of Health officials.
The transition plan aligns with the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA), with CS Duale emphasizing that a well-supported health workforce is central to achieving Universal Health Coverage.
