Health Cabinet Secretary Adan Duale during today's session at Afya House /X
The government has deployed 6,784 healthcare interns across the country under the 2026/2027 Internship Programme, backed by a Sh9.316 billion investment aimed at strengthening Kenya's health workforce and accelerating the delivery of quality healthcare.
The deployment, announced by the Ministry of Health, is part of the government's drive to advance Universal Health Coverage (UHC) under the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA).
The new cohort comprises 875 Medical Officer Interns, 69 Dental Officer Interns, 616 Pharmacist Interns, 2,424 Bachelor of Science nursing officer interns, 705 Bachelor of Science Clinical Officer Interns and 2,096 Diploma Clinical Officer Interns.
According to the ministry, the internship programme is the result of close collaboration between the Ministry of Health, county governments, professional regulatory councils, training institutions, professional associations, unions and development partners.
The ministry said the partnership has enhanced transparency, accountability and efficiency in the placement process while ensuring healthcare professionals are deployed equitably across the country.
The interns enter the health sector at a critical time as Kenya rolls out key reforms to improve access to quality healthcare.
They are expected to support the implementation of the Every Woman Every Newborn Everywhere (EWENE) Acceleration Plan, the Maternal and Newborn Health Rapid Results Initiative, the Social Health Authority (SHA), quality improvement programmes and the ongoing digitisation of health services.
The Ministry said the interns will play a key role in expanding access to quality, equitable and people-centred healthcare services nationwide.
Speaking during the deployment, Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale urged the interns to uphold professionalism, integrity and compassion throughout their service.
"I challenge you to uphold the highest standards of professionalism, integrity and compassion throughout your service," Duale said.
He said their dedication would improve patient outcomes while strengthening public confidence in Kenya's health system.
Duale also reaffirmed the government's commitment to strengthening the health workforce, noting that UHC staff are being transitioned to permanent and pensionable terms following the allocation of Sh8.9 billion in the current budget, in line with the president's directive.
He further announced plans to recruit 5,000 nurses and midwives under the EWENE initiative to help reduce maternal and newborn deaths.
The Cabinet Secretary reiterated the ministry's commitment to maintaining structured engagement with stakeholders to build a stable, motivated and productive health workforce capable of meeting the country's evolving healthcare needs.
He also commended professional regulatory councils, training institutions, internship coordinators and supervisors for ensuring the placement process complied with all legal, regulatory, policy and budgetary requirements.
Duale said transparency and accountability remain central to building a resilient, responsive and sustainable health system for all Kenyans.
