The Kenya nurses’ union officials Wednesday called off their national strike after governors signed to recognise their Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).

The decision has earned the caregivers $196 (Sh20,000) monthly allowances.

Negotiations on the nurses four-year CBA will begin in January 2017 and will stretch until no further than March 2017.

Special allowances

The recognition agreement specifies that nurses in Job Group M and above will earn $147 (Sh15,000) in special allowances, while those in Job Group G to L would receive $196 every month

The documents were signed by Health Cabinet Secretary Cleopa Mailu, Kisumu Governor Jack Ranguma (Health chair, Council of Governors), Kisii Governor James Ongwae (Human resources point person, Council of Governors), the Kenya National Union of

Nurses Secretary-General Seth Panyako and Chairperson John Biiy.

The two parties agreed that county governments would not punish or intimidate any of the officials for participating in the job boycott that claimed dozens of lives.

Spirit of empathy

The Council of Governors will also withdraw the case county bosses had lodged against the union officials.

Dr Mailu thanked the nurses for operating in a spirit of empathy and agreeing to go back to work.

According to the Nursing Council of Kenya data quoted in the 2016 economic survey, there were 73,562 nurses in Kenya in 2015, the bulk (46,038) being graduate and higher diploma holders, also referred to as registered nurses.

There were nearly another 6,000 that were in training in 2015 and were expected to join service in the near future.

There were nine nurses per 10,000 patients, way below the World Health Organisation recommended 23 per 10,000 patients.