Embu residents heaved a sigh of relief on Tuesday after health workers called off their strike.
The more than 1,000 workers said they will return to work after Governor Martin Wambora’s administration agreed to meet their demands.
The workers who downed their tools three weeks ago resumed work after a long meeting between their union officials and Deputy Governor David Kariuki who doubles up as the Health executive.
During the meeting, Mr Kariuki promised to ensure that all their demands are met and working conditions improved.
Mr Kariuki said the county recognised the vital role played by workers in the Health Sector and would continue taking their grievances seriously.
When the strike kicked off, hundreds of residents suffered as they were forced to travel long distances to the neighbouring Kirinyaga and Tharaka Nithi counties to seek medical treatment.
The workers complained that Embu Level Five Hospital was filthy and lacked adequate drugs for patients.
They further said that casual workers have not been cleaning wards and other places due to non-payment of their wages.
The health workers said they were at risk of contracting diseases and swore to keep away from the hospitals.
They accused the devolved government of not addressing their plight, saying deductions from their salaries amounting to more than Sh400million had not been remitted to National Hospital Insurance Fund, Kenya Revenue Authority and various banking institutions.
The workers lamented that their grievances have fallen on deaf ears.
The chairman of Kenya National Union of Nurses, Mr Joseph Ngwasi warned that should the county fail to implement all the demands, the workers would go back to the streets in protest.