The Ministry of Health has flagged ten universities for submitting false or unauthorized student data related to medical internships.
In a statement released Tuesday, July 22, the ministry described the move unlawful and launched reforms to restore integrity in the internship placement process.
The universities in question are Kenyatta University, Daystar University, Kenya Methodist University, Masai Mara University, and University of Embu.
Others are Mount Kenya University, Umma University, Baraton University, Karatina University, and Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology.
At the same time, the ministry revealed that the list of medical interns submitted through the Nursing Council of Kenya (NCK) excluded 339 eligible candidates and included foreign students not eligible for government-sponsored internships.
In response to the irregularities, Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale announced a series of urgent reforms designed to increase transparency and accountability within the internship programme.
The reforms include the digitization of internship submissions to enhance data verification and eliminate errors.
Additionally, the Director-General for Health will issue uniform internship guidelines covering eligibility criteria, submission timelines, and stakeholder roles.
The ministry will also oversee the establishment of an internship coordination unit to improve institutional coordination and enforce compliance.
Further, the ministry said only students placed through the Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service (KUCCPS) will be eligible for government-sponsored internships.
As such, self-sponsored students will be required to fund their own internships.
In addition, universities must strictly follow student admission limits approved by the Commission for University Education (CUE) to prevent over-enrolment and planning distortions.
Lastly, the ministry said it is engaging the National Treasury to secure KES 408 million to support the posting of an additional 339 verified nursing interns beyond the PSC-approved annual cap of 2,000.
“These reforms are about safeguarding the future of healthcare in Kenya. We are building a system that ensures fairness, accountability, and quality in health professional training,” Duale said.
Source: Nairobileo
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