Public health officers across Kenya have ended their nationwide strike after 94 days, agreeing to suspend industrial action for a 30‑day period to allow talks with the government.

Brown Ashira, secretary‑general of the Kenya Environmental Health and Public Health Practitioners Union (KEPHUPU), announced the decision in Kitui County following an intervention by Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale, who pledged to facilitate negotiations.

Ashira instructed all officers, including those stationed at border points and county governments, to report back to duty within 24 hours as the 30‑day negotiation window begins.

The union has signed a return‑to‑work formula with Kitui County and expects comprehensive negotiations with the national government within the next month, urging other counties to follow suit.

Ashira highlighted the urgency of ending the strike amid rising Ebola cases, noting that health workers are essential for disease surveillance and outbreak response.

Key demands on the table include formal recognition of KEPHUPU as a registered union, finalisation and implementation of a pending collective bargaining agreement, recruitment and permanentisation of additional officers, and payment of risk allowances.

The union also opposes the transfer of personnel and assets to the Kenya National Public Health Institute without stakeholder consultation or independent budgeting.

Council of Governors former chair Ahmed Abdullahi has previously accused the Ministry of Health of fueling recurring strikes by failing to honour intergovernmental agreements, a claim echoed by county officials.

Cabinet Secretary Duale, however, placed responsibility on county governments for delays in integrating over 7,400 Universal Health Coverage workers into payrolls, despite an allocation of Ksh8.6 billion for the transition.