The Ministry of Health has deployed 6,784 healthcare interns under the 2026/2027 Internship Programme, marking a significant investment in strengthening Kenya’s health workforce and advancing Universal Health Coverage (UHC) under the Government’s 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.
To support their training and deployment, the Government has allocated KSh 9.316 billion in the 2026/2027 Financial Year.
The deployment reflects sustained collaboration between the Ministry of Health, county governments, professional regulatory councils, training institutions, professional associations, unions and development partners.
This partnership has strengthened transparency, accountability and efficiency in the internship placement process while ensuring equitable deployment of healthcare professionals across the country.
The interns join the health sector at a critical time as Kenya continues implementing transformative reforms aimed at improving access to quality healthcare.
Importance of medical interns deployment
Their deployment will support key national priorities, including 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.
They will play a vital role in expanding access to quality, equitable and people-centred healthcare services nationwide.
Speaking during the deployment, Health Cabinet Secretary Hon. Aden Duale challenged the interns to uphold the highest standards of professionalism, integrity and compassion throughout their service.
He noted that their dedication will improve patient outcomes while strengthening public confidence in Kenya’s health system.
The Cabinet Secretary also reaffirmed the Government’s commitment to strengthening the health workforce through the transition of Universal Health Coverage staff to permanent and pensionable terms, backed by an allocation of KSh 8.9 billion in the current budget following the President’s directive.
How many nurses does the government plan to recruit?
He further announced plans to recruit 5,000 nurses and midwives under the EWENE initiative to accelerate efforts to reduce maternal and newborn deaths.
CS Duale reiterated the Ministry’s commitment to maintaining structured engagement with stakeholders to build a stable, motivated and productive health workforce capable of responding to the country’s evolving healthcare needs.
He further acknowledged the contribution of professional regulatory councils, training institutions, internship coordinators and supervisors for ensuring that the placement process complied with all legal, regulatory, policy and budgetary requirements, reaffirming that transparency and accountability remain central to building a resilient, responsive and sustainable health system for all Kenyans.
