Kenyan healthcare workers are set to benefit from training alongside securing jobs in the UK following a bilateral deal signed in July.
The agreement between the UK and the Northern Ireland governments on one side and the Kenya government will allow the three countries to explore opportunities for short-term educational training.
The aim is to share learning and develop skills for their staff in the health sector.
The deal also allows for capacity building of healthcare workers and benchmarking to maintain global professional standards.
“The parties agree to jointly take steps to combat unethical and /or illegal recruitment, smuggling and human trafficking on their countries,” the deal says.
The governments of Kenya, UK and Northern Ireland signed a bilateral agreement on July 29 for collaboration in the healthcare workforce.
The deal allows Kenyan healthcare professionals to be recruited to work in the National Health Service of the UK.
Nurses will comprise the first cadre of healthcare professionals to benefit from the deal.
The Labour ministry through the National Employment Authority has been mandated with the recruitment and facilitation of qualified candidates to the UK in collaboration with the Health Ministry.
However, nurses who are employed have been locked out from the opportunity.
“Our healthcare agreement will make the most of UK and Kenyan health expertise which will be beneficial to both countries, with the exchange of knowledge and training which will provide first-class healthcare,” UK’s Secretary of State for Health Sajid Javid said.
The agreement was signed by Javid and Labour CS Simon Chelugui during President Uhuru Kenyatta’s visit to London.
Already, Health PS Susan Mochache and her Labour counterpart Peter Tum and officials from the Nursing Council of Kenya have been to the UK to negotiate for better terms for the nurses.
“The visit is also meant to explore ways of strengthening the health system back in the country to make Kenya have global standards in training and patient care in addition to addressing unemployment for our nurses,” the Health Ministry said in a statement.
Kenya has opened the process to private recruitment agencies with those who wish to participate given until October 19 to submit their applications.
The National Employment Authority said the recruitment process will be undertaken by the government through licensed and accredited private employment agencies.
To qualify, the agencies will be required to have a valid registration certificate from NEA, must have facilitated at least 150 migrant workers to work abroad and must have facilitated pre-departure training of migrant workers.
They will also be required to have the financial ability to undertake services contracts requiring a huge financial out-pay of liquidity of cash equivalent to Sh10 million.
“The agency must be familiar with medical health assessment of migrant workers by International Organization for Immigration,” NEA said in a statement.
