The Ministry of Health has announced the deployment of 6,360 healthcare interns for the 2026/27 internship cohort, with the mandatory 12-month programme set to begin on July 1.

In a press statement issued on Friday, June 26, 2026, the ministry said preparations for the deployment had been finalised, marking the start of the internship programme for eligible healthcare professionals pre-interns across the country.

“This internship programme is a critical step in equipping pre-interns with the hands-on experience necessary to deliver quality and responsive healthcare services to the people of Kenya,” the statement read.

The internship programme is a requirement for healthcare graduates before they are licensed to practise in their respective professions.

Internship placements

According to the ministry, the interns have been posted to various internship centres across the country.

The cohort comprises 875 medical officer interns, 69 dental officer interns, 615 pharmacy officer interns, 2,000 Bachelor of Science nursing interns, 705 Bachelor of Science clinical officer interns and 2,096 diploma clinical officer interns.

The ministry said the deployment is intended to strengthen the country’s health workforce by providing practical training in accredited healthcare facilities.

The internship programme enables graduates to gain supervised clinical experience before registration by their professional regulatory bodies.

Collection of offer letters

The ministry directed all eligible pre-interns to collect their internship offer letters in person on Monday, June 29, at the Ministry of Health headquarters, Afya House, in Nairobi from 9.00am.

Pre-interns have been advised to present valid national identity cards before receiving their placement letters.

The ministry urged those reporting for collection to carry their original identification documents to facilitate verification and processing.

Successful candidates are expected to report to their assigned internship centres in readiness for the commencement of the programme on July 1.

Strengthening healthcare services

The Ministry of Health said the internship programme remains an important component in building a skilled and competent healthcare workforce capable of supporting service delivery across the country.

The deployment comes as the government continues to invest in expanding access to healthcare services through public health facilities.

The ministry said interns will undergo supervised practical training in hospitals and other accredited health facilities, allowing them to apply knowledge acquired during their studies while gaining professional experience.

The internship programme also supports the transition of healthcare graduates into professional practice by exposing them to clinical work under supervision before they qualify for full registration in their respective fields.

The Ministry said the postings had been finalised ahead of the July 1 reporting date to ensure a smooth start to the 2026/27 internship programme.