The Ministry of Health (MoH) has begun the redeployment of nearly 700 healthcare interns initially posted to Kiambu County, after a prolonged doctors’ strike stalled their internship programme for four months.
In a letter dated August 26, 2025, Health Cabinet Secretary Hon. Aden Duale notified Kiambu Governor Kimani Wamatangi that interns posted to the county had failed to commence their duties due to the ongoing industrial action. The Ministry had deployed the 2025/2026 cohort of 697 healthcare professional interns to begin their 12-month internship on July 1, 2025, but only those outside Kiambu managed to start.
The interns comprised 138 medical officer interns, 48 pharmacist interns, 5 dentist interns, 297 BSc nursing interns, 134 clinical officer (diploma) interns and 75 clinical officer (degree) interns, all posted to public health facilities in Kiambu County.
CS Duale expressed concern over the delay, saying it had caused “considerable concern among the affected interns, particularly given that their counterparts deployed to other counties have already commenced training.”
“This measure is necessary to safeguard the interns’ training, ensure timely progression of their programme, and maintain alignment with their peers nationally,” Duale stated.
The CS cautioned that unless the strike was resolved, the Ministry would be compelled to recall all 697 interns from Kiambu by September 15, 2025, and redistribute them to alternative stations across the country. He urged the county administration to intervene, stressing that the services of the interns remained critical to the people of Kiambu.
With the strike unresolved, the Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists’ Union (KMPDU) on September 28, 2025, confirmed that redeployment letters for the interns had been prepared.
In a circular signed by Secretary General and CEO Dr. Davji Bhimji Atellah, the union instructed interns to collect their letters from the MoH headquarters beginning September 29, 2025, at 9:00 a.m.
“All interns currently in Kiambu County are therefore required to collect the redeployment letters from the MoH effective tomorrow, September 29, 2025, from 9:00 a.m. As the strike in Kiambu is now in its fourth month with no end in sight, there is an urgent need to protect the sanctity of the internship and it should not be affected by prolonged county strikes,” Dr. Atellah wrote.
The letter further warned that any intern who fails to collect the redeployment letter and report to their new station will be deemed to have absconded internship duty by the Ministry of Health.
Dr. Atellah underscored the importance of the internship programme as a bridge between training and practice, adding that its continuity could not be sacrificed to county-level disputes.
“Redeployment ensures interns continue learning and serving the public without interruption,” he said, adding that the KMPDU fully supported the Ministry’s decision to shield the internship programme from disruption.
The strike in Kiambu, now entering its fourth month, has left hospitals understaffed and patients without adequate services. Doctors have been demanding improved working conditions, timely salaries and better staffing levels. While other counties have resumed operations after negotiations, Kiambu remains at a standstill, creating ripple effects on healthcare delivery and training.
The Ministry’s action now allows the 697 interns to be redistributed to counties where services are running, ensuring they do not lose valuable training time. However, the development also highlights the deepening crisis in Kiambu’s health sector, with no clear resolution to the industrial action in sight.
Discussion about this post