At least ten universities in Kenya offering medical-related courses have come under sharp scrutiny after being accused of submitting false student data to the Ministry of Health in an attempt to secure government-sponsored internship slots for their students.
On Tuesday, July 22, the Ministry of Health issued a statement claiming that these institutions had presented unverified and misleading student details in a bid to benefit from state-sponsored internship placements—a move the Ministry strongly condemned as illegal and unethical.
The universities listed in the Ministry’s statement include Kenyatta University, Daystar University, Kenya Methodist University, Masai Mara University, University of Embu, Mount Kenya University, Umma University, Baraton University, Karatina University, and Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology.
In response to this situation, Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale announced that the Ministry would establish a new body—the Internship Coordination Unit.
This special unit will be responsible for managing and overseeing the entire internship placement process to ensure that institutions follow the law and that internships are fairly and transparently allocated.
To further strengthen oversight, the Ministry urged all universities offering medical and healthcare programs to strictly follow the enrollment and training standards set by the Commission for University Education (CUE).
Duale emphasized the importance of controlling student numbers to avoid over-enrollment and ensure quality education and training.
Additionally, the Ministry declared that only students admitted through the Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service (KUCCPS) will be eligible for government-funded internships. Students who are self-sponsored will be expected to cover the full cost of their internship placements.
In a move aimed at preventing further manipulation of data, CS Duale revealed that the Ministry is developing a new digital platform where both institutions and students will be required to submit internship applications.
This system is expected to streamline the application process, improve data accuracy, and eliminate inconsistencies or fraudulent entries.
The Ministry also stated that the Director-General for Health will soon release a new set of National Guidelines for Internship Management, as authorized under Section 17(j) of the Health Act.
These guidelines will provide clear rules on who qualifies for internships, timelines for applications, and the responsibilities of all involved parties.
These sweeping reforms come after a recent audit uncovered serious irregularities in the 2025/2026 internship placement process, including the illegal placement of 42 students who had not even completed their training.
Following this revelation, CS Duale took swift action, including suspending the Chief Executive Officer of the Nursing Council of Kenya (NCK) for their involvement in the unlawful approval of these placements.
Duale further disclosed that the Ministry is now working with the National Treasury to secure Ksh408 million to fund internship placements for 339 verified nursing students, ensuring they are not affected by the changes and reforms underway.
“These changes are about more than just correcting past mistakes,” said Duale. “They are about protecting the credibility of our healthcare training system and ensuring that every medical student gets a fair chance based on merit.
We want to build a future where internship placement is not only fair but also strengthens the overall quality of healthcare in Kenya.”
According to the Ministry, the goal of these reforms is to restore trust and fairness in the internship placement system while safeguarding the integrity of Kenya’s healthcare workforce.
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