Health CS Duale Hands Over Internship Letters to 6,000 Medical Graduates

By Our Reporter Violet Kerubo

Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale on Monday presided over the issuance of internship placement letters to 6,000 medical graduates during a ceremony held at Afya House in Nairobi, marking the beginning of their mandatory internship in health facilities across the country.

The graduates, drawn from various medical disciplines, will be deployed to hospitals in different counties where they will undertake supervised practical training. The internship programme is designed to equip them with hands-on clinical experience before they are fully licensed to practice in their respective professions.

Speaking during the event, CS Duale said the government remains committed to strengthening the country’s healthcare workforce by investing in the training and professional development of young health workers. He noted that deploying the interns to public hospitals will help improve service delivery while addressing staffing needs in health facilities.

Duale assured the graduates that the government is working towards absorbing them into the workforce upon successful completion of their internship. He said the move is part of broader efforts to increase the number of healthcare professionals serving Kenyans and improve access to quality medical services across the country.

The Cabinet Secretary urged the interns to uphold professionalism, integrity and compassion as they begin serving patients in various health facilities. He encouraged them to make the most of the internship period by gaining practical skills and experience that will prepare them for their future careers.

The deployment of the 6,000 interns is expected to boost the capacity of hospitals nationwide, particularly in facilities that have been experiencing shortages of healthcare workers. The programme is also seen as a significant step towards strengthening Kenya’s health system while creating employment opportunities for newly qualified medical professionals.