Universal Health Coverage (UHC) health workers are set to move from contractual to permanent and pensionable terms, following a decision to have counties absorb the workers.
The change was among resolutions reached during a special Intergovernmental Budget and Economic Council (IBEC) session chaired by Deputy President Kithure Kindiki.
The transition will be financed through the County Governments Additional Allocations (CGAA) for the 2026/27 financial year, with the Ministry of Health to be reimbursed for payments already made to the workers for July and August.
The Ministry of Public Service, Human Capital Development and Special Programmes will facilitate the transfer of the eligible workers’ payrolls to county governments, while County Public Service Boards will undertake their absorption.
The Public Service Commission will provide uniform guidelines to the County Public Service Boards to facilitate the transition in accordance with the law.
The council further resolved that personnel costs arising from the absorption of UHC workers be factored into the Commission on Revenue Allocation’s revenue-sharing recommendation for the 2027/28 financial year to ensure counties do not lose part of their equitable share because of the transition.
Additionally, the council directed the Ministry of Health, the Council of Governors and the nurses’ union to urgently resolve the ongoing nurses’ strike.
The nationwide nurses’ strike began on July 29 over unresolved employment grievances, including the implementation of collective bargaining agreements (CBAs), career progression guidelines and the absorption of UHC health workers.
The Kenya National Union of Nurses and Midwives (KNUNM) has maintained that the strike will continue until the outstanding issues are addressed.
