Kenyan nurses end 43-day strike after agreement
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Kenyan nurses ended a 43-day strike after reaching an agreement with county governments, restoring medical services to public hospitals and health centres across the country.
The strike had disrupted healthcare and reportedly caused preventable deaths. Representatives from the Kenya National Union of Nurses and Midwives signed a return-to-work agreement with county governments, averting a planned doctor’s strike in support of the nurses. The agreement will cost Sh1.8 billion (Kenyan Shillings) and addresses long-standing issues for medical workers.
It includes provisions for salaries, allowances, job security, career advancement, and the permanent employment of universal health coverage staff. Counties and the union now have 45 days to finalize a comprehensive collective bargaining agreement. County governments previously stated they needed Sh6 billion to fully implement a 2017 collective bargaining agreement, citing financial difficulties. The resolution of the strike should ease the burden on patients and families and improve healthcare delivery throughout Kenya.
