The Ministry of Health has suspended Nursing Council of Kenya (NCK) CEO Dr. Lister Onsongo over a scandal involving the illegal placement of nursing students into internships. The breach was discovered after it emerged that 42 Bachelor of Science (BSc) Nursing students were assigned internship roles before completing their academic training.
This action violated both the Nursing Council Act and the guidelines set by the Public Service Commission (PSC), which clearly state that only qualified graduates are eligible for internship placements.
Following the revelation, the Ministry revoked all internship letters issued to the 42 students and directed them to immediately leave their duty stations as investigations continue.
In a statement released on Monday, Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale confirmed the suspension of Dr. Onsongo and the launch of a full internal audit of the nursing internship program. “I have appointed Ms. Ann Mukuna, Director of Standards and Compliance, to take over the operations of the Council until further notice,” Duale said.
The suspension comes amid wider scrutiny of the entire BSc Nursing internship system, with the Ministry now reviewing all 2,098 interns currently engaged in the program.
The Ministry linked the breach not only to the Nursing Council but also to ten universities—both public and private—suspected of colluding in the illegal placements.
Duale expressed serious concern over the incident, stating that it undermines the integrity of the country’s healthcare training and poses risks to the professional future of Kenya’s nurses. “This matter is being handled with utmost urgency to safeguard professional standards, ensure compliance with statutory requirements, and protect the rights of nursing graduates as well as the public,” he added.
He emphasized that accountability would be enforced across all parties involved, including officials within the Ministry, the Nursing Council, and leadership at the implicated universities.
The Ministry reiterated its commitment to maintaining high standards in healthcare training and deployment, assuring the public that decisive action will be taken to restore trust and enforce compliance
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