Uhuru secures opportunities for unemployed Kenyans during UK tour
President Uhuru Kenyatta has secured employment opportunities for trained Kenyan nurses without jobs in the UK.
According to a statement by the British High Commission in Kenya, unemployed Kenyan nurses have been given the chance to work in the UK under new Kenya-UK health agreements launched by President Kenyatta in London on Thursday, July 29.
The special arrangement for Kenyan nurses to work in the UK was part of a request by the Government of Kenya to capitalise in those qualified but unemployed health workers in the country.
"In a programme to share knowledge and expertise, Kenyan health professionals and health managers will benefit from a special route to work in the UK, before returning to work in Kenya’s health sector. The agreement is open to Kenya’s surplus health workers who are qualified but unemployed, ensuring the process is managed for Kenya’s benefit," the UK High Commission said in a statement.
UK Health Secretary, Sajid Javid, and Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary for Labour Cooperation, Simon Chelugi, signed the agreement on Kenyan recruitment into the UK’s National Health Service.
The announcement by both countries came on the third day of President Kenyatta’s visit to London, while on a tour of the Royal College of Physicians in London.
The special programme came at the request of the Government of Kenya to channel nurses currently unemployed into jobs.
The exact numbers who will go to the UK – and the process for visas – will be confirmed in the next three months.
Kenya and UK have a mutual agreement for health workforce collaboration that provides for bilateral knowledge exchange and capacity improvement.
Both countries seek to benefit from each other’s experiences and comparative strengths in healthcare.
The President also witnessed the signing of the Kenya-UK Health Alliance, which will bring together UK and Kenyan institutions – universities, teaching hospitals – cooperating on health partnerships.
One of the flagship partnerships is on improving cancer treatment for Kenyans, thanks to a tie-up between Kenyatta University Teaching Research and Referral Hospital and the University of Manchester/Christie NHS Foundation Trust.
“Our health partnership with Kenya is 30 years old and growing stronger by the month. This new agreement on health workers allows us to share skills and expertise even further, and is a fantastic opportunity for Kenyans to work in the UK," Jane Mariott, the British High Commissioner to Kenya said.
“From COVID-19 vaccines and genomic sequencing, to exchanges on cancer research and treatment to help Kenya treatment more cancer patients at home, the UK has a long and proud history of support for Kenya’s health sector. The signing of the Kenya-UK Health Alliance by President Kenyatta on his visit to the UK is the latest chapter in our flourishing partnership,” the British High Commissioner to Kenya added.
