- It is unclear how many had been recruited under this scheme but those who had already been accepted will be able to take up employment in the UK.
- Last month, Kagwe said only 10 out of 300 health workers who had taken the required English language test had passed.
The UK government has dismissed claims it has stopped the recruitment of Kenyan health professionals to work in the National Health Service.
There were reports that nurses were not going to be recruited since Kenya had been put in the amber list category.
However, the UK has clarified saying the recruitment mechanism will continue and has been strengthened in accordance with WHO code of practice.
"Moving Kenya from green to amber means international recruitment is only permitted in compliance with the terms of a government-to-government agreement," Health CS Mutahi Kagwe said in a joint statement with UK's Jane Mariott.
The two said this will stop private companies from taking advantage of the interest generated by the agreement between the two governments, and stops uncontrolled recruitment.
The Health ministry and the UK government signed a Memorandum of Understanding in July 2021 that will see Kenya’s health workforce recruited to UK hospitals.
Under the agreement, Kenyan health workers will be absorbed into the National Health Service, the publicly funded British healthcare system.
"This plan will continue," they said in the statement shared to newsrooms on Friday.
Kagwe and Mariott said the latest development will give the two governments more control to manage recruitment.
"...so that any future international recruitment is managed strictly in compliance with the terms of a government-to-government agreement," they said.
This managed recruitment will enable Kenyan government regulate the numbers of health workers to be recruited in order to protect the country from uncontrolled recruitment.
The two governments are also setting up structures at the Kenya Medical Training College, Nairobi, to make it a hub for work force preparation, exams preparation and mocks administration to ensure Kenyan nurses face the exams well prepared.
Kagwe said Kenya is working hard to increase home-grown supply of health and social care staff through enhanced training, to ensure country remains a regional force in healthcare.
It is unclear how many had been recruited under this scheme but those who had already been accepted will be able to take up employment in the UK.
Last month, Kagwe said only 10 out of 300 health workers who had taken the required English language test had passed.
-Edited by SKanyara