The Ministry of Health has revoked internship letters recently issued to 42 nursing students.
According to Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale, the decision follows discovery of serious breach of regulations involving the Nursing Council of Kenya (NCK) and 10 public and private Universities.
Duale said the said institutions unlawfully submitted the 42 Bachelor of Science (BSc) Nursing students for internship before the completion of their academic programmes.
“This action is in direct contravention of the Nursing Council Act and the guidelines approved by the Public Service Commission (PSC),” the CS said in a statement issued on Monday, July 21, 2025.
“Consequently, the Ministry has revoked all internship letters issued to the affected 42 students with immediate effect. These individuals have been immediately instructed to vacate their duty stations as investigations commence,” he added.
In addition, the CS said he had suspended Dr. Lister Onsongo, the Chief Executive Officer of the Nursing Council of Kenya, pending the outcome of a comprehensive internal audit of the full cohort of 2,098 BSc Nursing interns.
“Consequently, I have appointed Ms. Ann Mukuna, Director Standards and Compliance to take over the operations of the Council until further notice,” he added.
Duale further said the Ministry of Health is committed to upholding the integrity of healthcare training and deployment.
He noted that all individuals found culpable—whether at the Ministry of Health, the NCK, or within the leadership of the implicated universities—will be held fully accountable.
“This matter is being treated with the utmost urgency to safeguard professional standards, ensure compliance with statutory requirements, and protect the rights of nursing graduates and the public,” the CS said.
