Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale has issued a stern warning to eight universities over alleged irregularities in the posting of medical interns, threatening to withhold licenses and internship opportunities for their graduates.
Speaking in Eldoret on Friday, Duale condemned the manipulation of internship placements by certain institutions, accusing them of favoring recent graduates at the expense of those who have waited for years. He said the Ministry of Health will not tolerate a system that breeds inequality and frustration among medical graduates.
“We will deal with them! We will deny them their students’ license, even internships,” the CS declared, adding that letters will soon be sent to the affected universities to notify them of the government’s intent to restrict placements unless corrective measures are taken.
Duale emphasized that only fully graduated students those with official degree certificates will be considered for internship opportunities. Completion letters, he insisted, will no longer be sufficient.
“If you have a completion letter, we will not post you as an intern. We’ll only post you when you graduate and present your certificate,” he affirmed.
The move comes amid mounting pressure from thousands of medical graduates who have been left in limbo due to limited internship opportunities. Many have remained jobless and unlicensed for years, despite completing their studies.
Duale announced a new structured approach that prioritizes internship placements based on how long a graduate has waited, promising fairness and transparency.
“As long as I am the Minister for Health, we will run this country in a fair, just, and lawful manner,” he said.
The directive signals a major policy shift and puts universities on notice to align with the Ministry’s standards—or face serious consequences for non-compliance.
