The United Kingdom has halted the recruitment of Kenyan nurses into its Health Care system with immediate effect. 

In a statement issued by the Department of Health and Social Care (NHS), UK said it arrived at the decision to protect Kenya against a shortage of healthcare workers. 

The NHS said Kenya was added to the recruitment amber list adding that the country needed protection against the recruitment which could plunge the country into a health crisis. 

“Adding Kenya to the amber list will protect the country from unmanaged international recruitment which could exacerbate existing health and social care workforce shortages,” NHS. 

However, the Department of Health said Kenyan nurses whose contracts have already been sealed will proceed with the recruitment process as planned. 

“If employers have already given conditional offers to nurses or other health or social care personnel from Kenya on, or prior to Thursday 11 November 2021, the recruitment process can continue,” NHS said.

“This recognises the investment which has already been made to get the candidate to this stage and will ensure candidates who are fully expecting to be able to move to the UK to work are treated fairly.” 

In September, Labour CS Simon Chelugui said Kenya would send 20,000 nurses to the UK as the country improved the welfare of its migrant workers abroad.