More than 280 Kenyan nurses have secured jobs in the United Kingdom’s National Health Service (NHS) after completing training under the Kenya-UK Health Alliance, as the government pushes for expanded scholarship and skills development programmes in the health sector.
The milestone was announced by Education Cabinet Secretary (CS) Julius Migos Ogamba during the Kenya-UK Health Alliance 5th Conference and the renewal of the partnership agreement, held in London.
Ogamba said the partnership between Kenya and the UK has strengthened the exchange of knowledge, skills and training, with healthcare professionals benefiting from opportunities to work in globally competitive health systems.
“Since 2021, more than 280 Kenyan nurses have qualified to globally competitive standards and are working within the National Health Service,” Ogamba said.
The nurses have secured career opportunities in NHS facilities including Oxford Radcliffe, Royal Berkshire, Royal Free London and Cambridge/East of England.
CS Ogamba said education and skills development remain central to strengthening Kenya’s healthcare system. He further noted that health services depend on professionals trained through universities, colleges and technical institutions.
“Health systems are built by educated professionals, powered by innovation born in universities and research institutions, and sustained by technical and vocational skills developed in our colleges and polytechnics,” he said.
Kenya-UK Health Alliance Receives New Five-Year Commitment
The Kenya-UK Health Alliance, established to strengthen cooperation between the two countries in health, education and research, was renewed for another five years.
The renewal will support continued collaboration in areas including healthcare training, research, technology transfer and development of medical innovations.
Ogamba said the partnership has already attracted more than £116 million in combined research and training investment.
He said the next phase of the alliance would focus on producing healthcare professionals who can meet both local and international standards.
“Education and training systems must respond to the demand for globally competitive healthcare professionals,” he said.
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Push for More Health Scholarships and Research Partnerships
The government is seeking increased scholarships and fellowship opportunities for Kenyan students and researchers in health-related fields.
Ogamba said Kenya hopes to benefit from partnerships with UK universities in areas such as public health, biosciences, health informatics and medical engineering.
He said the country also wants more joint research programmes that allow Kenyan and UK researchers to work together on healthcare solutions.
The Education CS said the partnership should focus on the co-production of knowledge, including joint research, clinical innovation, and the development of new technologies.
Centre of Excellence for Health Education and Training
A key project under the renewed partnership is the establishment of a Centre of Excellence for Health Education and Training involving six Kenyan public universities.
The centre will use a hub-and-spoke model to strengthen training for healthcare workers and improve access to specialised medical services.
Ogamba said the initiative would support efforts to address rising cases of non-communicable diseases by improving healthcare systems and access to technology.
The partnership has also expanded to include the East African Kidney Institute with King’s College London as part of the alliance’s activities.
Skills Needed for Local Medicine Production
The government is also looking at the partnership as a way to support local production of medicines, diagnostics, and medical technologies.
Ogamba said pharmaceutical manufacturing requires specialised skills, including chemical engineering, laboratory technology, quality assurance and regulatory expertise.
He said investment in local pharmaceutical production would only succeed if Kenya develops a workforce with the skills required to operate in the industry.
The Education CS linked the partnership to the Kenya-UK Strategic Partnership 2025–2030, which includes a bilateral commitment of up to £1.5 billion.
He called for education and skills development to remain a key pillar of the agreement.
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Government Seeks More Investment in Health Training
Ogamba proposed increased investment in health professional training institutions through partnerships between the public and private sectors.
He also called for expanded scholarships and fellowship programmes in health sciences, biomedical research and health systems management.
The CS said Kenya and the UK should also encourage the establishment of research and training parks where healthcare innovation, professional training and manufacturing can be developed together.
The renewed Kenya-UK Health Alliance is expected to continue supporting healthcare workforce development, research collaboration and innovation between the two countries over the next five years.
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