The Ministry of Health has announced that 7,414 healthcare workers serving under the Universal Health Coverage (UHC) program will finally be absorbed on permanent and pensionable terms starting September 2025.
Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale confirmed the move in a statement on Monday, August 25, explaining that the staff will be categorized into two groups, those in active service and those facing disciplinary action.
“Staff in active service will be formally transitioned and absorbed with effect from September 2025,” Duale said. “UHC staff members absent from duty or with disciplinary issues will not be absorbed. Such cases will be reviewed with the Public Service Commission (PSC), in line with PSC regulations on human resources.”
The announcement follows a nationwide verification exercise conducted by the State Department for Medical Services in partnership with the Council of Governors (CoG). The exercise revealed that out of 7,629 listed UHC staff, 215 failed to present themselves, with some flagged as ghost workers or unqualified health professionals.
Duale said those individuals have already been struck off the payroll, and investigations are underway to recover irregular payments.
“The Ministry of Health, working with the CoG, PSC, and other partners, remains committed to fairness, accountability, and transparency in this process, while safeguarding the rights of eligible officers,” the CS added.
The UHC workers, who were recruited between 2019 and 2020 under former President Uhuru Kenyatta’s administration, include nurses, clinical officers, public health officers, laboratory technicians, and community health assistants.
For months, many of them have staged protests and strikes over delayed contract renewals, salary disparities, and demands to be absorbed into permanent roles. Duale assured that the government’s latest move is part of broader reforms to strengthen the healthcare system and fast-track Kenya’s progress towards universal health coverage.
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