Medical officers and specialists who were contracted under the now-defunct Nairobi Metropolitan Services (NMS) have now been employed under permanent and pensionable terms by the Nairobi County government.

This follows a meeting held late last month between Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU) Secretary General Dr. Davji Atellah and Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja.

At the time, Dr. Atellah noted that the agreement was for 43 doctors (35 medical officers and 8 specialists) to be absorbed by the devolved unit.

In a statement to newsrooms on Monday, the KMPDU boss said the NMS doctors can now collect their letters of employment from City Hall effective immediately.

“The issue of NMS doctors was part of our national strike, and we continued with engagement after striking. We saw many casting aspersions on the issue of employment we announced on 31st July 2024, it is was within their rights to throw stones and not to believe in the process, but our objective has been to ensure the letters are delivered and no doctor is left behind,” he stated.

“If there was no court, case initiated in August and served on 2nd August 2024, all the concerned doctors would have received their letters by 12th August 2024 as planned. Nonetheless, we have surmounted the hurdle, and we want to ask all the NMS doctors who were left out to go and pick their letters from today, 19th/8/2024.”

Dr. Atellah added: “We earnestly appreciate the critical role played by the county government of Nairobi. Special thanks to Governor Johnson Sakaja and CEC Health Santoi Lengewa, who have held up and delivered on the agreement, it is it truly a show of goodwill and industrial harmony. We must salute Nairobi Branch leadership, with recognition to Dr Deogracious Maero and Dr Malindi Chao, for always being available and ready for action whenever duty calls.”