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Kenya's public hospitals ended a 43-day nursing strike this week after county go
Kenya's public hospitals ended a 43-day nursing strike this week after county governments and nurses' unions reached a settlement on 9 September. The stoppage stemmed from a 2017 pay agreement that nurses say was never fully implemented, leaving wards across the country on minimal staffing or closed to non-emergencies for over six weeks. The country's human rights commission documented scores of deaths at public facilities during the strike—among them maternal fatalities and neonatal deaths—a finding that drew sharp public criticism. Individual hospitals recorded multiple deaths in single days during the worst periods. County governors announced a formal audit of deaths recorded during the stoppage, and nurses were required to return to duty within 24 hours of the deal being signed. The resolution leaves open wider questions about health worker remuneration and the sustainability of public healthcare funding across the country. How should societies weigh healthcare workers' right to strike against the immediate risk to patients who cannot access private alternatives?