Govt Issues New Orders on a Section of Civil Servants Hiring
The new policy fronted by the ministry is in line with global practices where countries give preference to their local workforce while allowing regulated entry of foreign practitioners...
✨ Key Highlights
The Ministry of Health in Kenya has announced new directives prioritizing Kenyan-trained health professionals for licensing and employment over foreign doctors, effective January 7. This move aims to ensure that Kenyans educated with public funds serve their country first, aligning with international best practices.
- The directive will not apply to citizens from East African Community member states due to existing mutual recognition agreements.
- Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale emphasized that foreign professionals will be vetted on a case-by-case basis, primarily for highly specialized areas where local expertise is limited.
- Currently, Kenya has approximately 14,829 registered doctors, with only 3,930 serving in the public sector, while roughly 62 percent work in the private sector.
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Government and KMPDU Announce Measures on Health Worker Employment and Strikes - January 2026
The Ministry of Health in Kenya has announced new directives, effective January 7, prioritizing Kenyan-trained health professionals for licensing and employment over foreign doctors. This policy aims to ensure that Kenyans educated with public funds serve their country first. Separately, the Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Union (KMPDU) has announced a nationwide crackdown on private hospitals underpaying doctors, a practice it described as "modern-day slavery." Meanwhile, Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale has issued new directives to striking clinical officers, demanding a fully inclusive Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) before he signs it to end their 16-day strike.
