- Over 6,000 healthcare interns have been posted to hospitals across Kenya under the 2025/2026 programme.
- The Ministry says this is part of its wider plan to improve service delivery and meet staffing gaps.
- Interns come from key fields like medicine, nursing, and lab science and will train for a year.
- The move is tied to ongoing reforms under UHC and the government’s health transformation plan.
Health CS Aden Duale on Monday launched the countrywide posting of 6,484 interns to public health facilities. He spoke at Afya House, describing the programme as central to improving healthcare and bringing Universal Health Coverage (UHC) closer to reality.
“These aren’t just fresh graduates,” he said. “They’re trusted with real patients and real cases. And they must serve with care and humility.”
The interns are drawn from medicine, nursing, clinical medicine, pharmacy, and lab science courses. They’ll undergo a one-year clinical rotation in approved hospitals, mostly in counties that face staff shortages. Duale said the placements meet international standards.
The CS tied the programme to the Kenya Kwanza government’s Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA), where health is a top priority. He said the goal is to build a team of skilled, ethical professionals who understand both the science and the humanity of caregiving.
Duale assured that the deployment process is fair and that the Ministry is working with councils and unions to improve long-term staffing plans. “We’ll ensure placements happen on time, and every intern gets a proper learning environment,” he noted.
Joining Duale were top officials like Public Health PS Mary Muthoni, Director General Dr. Patrick Amoth, and union bosses Davji Atellah (KMPDU), Seth Panyako (KNUN), and George Gibore (KUCO). The unity shown by these groups was rare—and welcome—in a sector often hit by tensions.
This intern rollout comes alongside other health sector shifts, including the Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF), tech-based care systems, and support for community health work. The Ministry hopes these changes will make healthcare both accessible and affordable for all Kenyans.
CS Duale wrapped up by urging the new interns to take their roles seriously. “You’re not just learners,” he said. “You’re the face of a changing health system—and the public is counting on you.”
