Over 400 nursing graduates yet to be posted for internships

More than 400 nursing graduates say they are yet to be posted for internships.

The students, some of whom graduated as early as 2019 and 2020, gathered to voice their frustrations and demand answers from the authorities.

The students accused the Ministry of Health and the Nursing Council of Kenya of discrimination and corruption, claiming that despite being qualified and having waited for years, they have been sidelined while others are allegedly favoured.

“It's so sad because most of our lives have been stagnant since 2023. Since we graduated, most of us cannot do anything. We cannot apply for jobs because we are not licensed,” said a Nursing officer pre-intern, Nashipai Joyline Sulunye.

The affected students have vowed to continue pushing for transparency and accountability in the internship placement process, which is crucial for their licensing and entry into the healthcare workforce.

"You find the class of 2020 intake has been posted, yet we are left out. We want to know if there is discrimination. We have been camping here since last week, and some of us are from Kisii. We don't know what's going on. We are really suffering,” Geoffrey Oteki, a nursing officer pre-intern, stated.

Another pre-intern, Titus Odhiambo, added, “The list for internship was out last week on 30th June, and we happened to miss the list. We have been out of service for one and a half years. We have been left out of the internship, and we cannot do anything. You are supposed to be posted at least within 90 days."

Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale, in a statement, confirmed that the interns would begin a 12-month structured internship programme starting July 1, which is aimed at offering supervised clinical training and hands-on experience in accredited health facilities across the country.