Last week, a small village in Kenya’s Rift Valley was filled with grief as friends and family laid to rest Francis Njuki, a 29-year-old medical intern who tragically took his own life.
His family shared how he felt exhausted, frustrated, and hopeless after working for months without pay.
Francis is one of five young doctors in Kenya who have died by suicide in just two months.
Many more have tried to end their lives, all due to stress, unpaid wages, and lack of support.
Francis started his internship in August at a hospital near Nairobi.
Interns like him are supposed to be paid, but the government delayed salaries for four months, saying there’s not enough money.
Meanwhile, these interns work long hours—sometimes 36 hours straight—handling much of the workload in public hospitals.
“Francis was tired and overwhelmed,” his uncle said. In his final note, he mentioned the stress of unpaid wages and battling mental illness.
The challenges don’t stop with unpaid salaries. Interns also face a toxic work environment, extreme exhaustion, and guilt from not being able to save every patient.
Many are even forced to take on extra jobs to pay for basics like rent and food.
In September, another young intern, Dr. Desree Moraa, took her life after a 36-hour shift.
Her coworkers said she struggled with the same financial and emotional pressures.
Doctors have tried to raise awareness, marching in protests and sharing their stories on social media with hashtags like #PayMedicalInterns.
But despite promises of mental health programs and partial payments, many say nothing has really changed.
Experts warn that the situation is pushing young doctors to their breaking point. “A stressed doctor is a dangerous one,” said one intern. “We can’t save lives when we’re barely surviving ourselves.”
Kenya’s healthcare workers are calling on the government to take action. “How many more doctors have to die before something changes?” asked one doctor.
Every year, about 1,400 Kenyans die by suicide, but the numbers may be much higher.
Many believe this crisis highlights the urgent need to improve mental health support and working conditions for all Kenyans—starting with the people saving lives.