NAIROBI — Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale on Friday reinstated internship positions for 316 nursing graduates after an internal audit uncovered irregularities in the June internship placements. The ceremony took place at Afya House, where CS Duale confirmed that the 316 Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BScN) graduates had met all the necessary qualifications but were mistakenly excluded.
“This morning, we correct a wrong and fulfill a promise,” CS Duale said. “These 316 graduates met all requirements but were mistakenly left out. Today, we restore their rightful place in our health system.”
According to the Ministry of Health, an audit revealed that 42 individuals who had not completed their training and 306 who had not graduated were wrongly posted during the June 30 exercise. Meanwhile, 339 qualified graduates were excluded. The reinstatement addresses the majority of these errors, with 316 of the affected individuals now officially posted.
CS Duale assured the group will begin their 12-month clinical internships on August 4 in accredited health facilities across the country. The internships follow a structured program aligned with global medical training standards. “We are sealing loopholes and protecting the integrity of our internship program,” CS Duale said. “To those reporting for duty, serve with humility, integrity, and patriotism. You represent the future of this country’s health sector.”
The flag-off follows the nationwide deployment of 6,484 healthcare interns announced in June. That cohort included 2,098 BSc nursing graduates, 1,147 medical officers, 500 pharmacists, 659 BSc clinical officers, 1,993 diploma clinical officers, and 87 dentists.
CS Duale framed the correction as part of a broader government push to address long-standing problems in health sector staffing and training. He emphasized that future postings would be transparent and based strictly on merit. “This is not just about numbers it is about fairness, quality, and restoring public confidence,” CS Duale said.
The move comes three months after Duale took office, signaling a shift toward fixing historic delays and mismanagement that have plagued medical internship processes in Kenya. The reinstatement also aligns with President William Ruto’s Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda, which prioritizes health care as a key pillar of national development.
While the Ministry has yet to confirm the status of the remaining 23 excluded graduates, an official indicated that their cases are still under review.
The newly posted interns are expected to ease staffing shortages in public hospitals and clinics, particularly in under-resourced counties.
About the Author
