Govt Bars Foreign Medical Internships as Kenya Ends Cuban Doctor Exchange Program
The Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Council (KMPDC) has issued a directive preventing foreign medical graduates from completing their internships in Kenya, emphasizing that graduates must first undergo internships in their home countries.
The Council stated that foreign nationals are no longer permitted to pursue medical or dental internships in Kenya; instead, they are required to complete their internships in their respective countries of nationality before seeking registration in Kenya.
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In a related move, the council, responsible for ensuring healthcare quality, recently urged doctors intending to practice in Kenya to obtain certification from the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG) and present their certificates for verification during the permanent registration process with KMPDC.
This directive follows the discontinuation of the exchange program with Cuban doctors by the Kenyan Government in October. Health CS Susan Nakhumicha justified this decision by asserting that Kenyan medical professionals were fully capable of managing hospital operations and delivering high-quality healthcare.
Opposition to the exchange program had been voiced for months by the Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists, and Dentists Union (KMPDU). Dr. Davji Bhimji Atellah, KMPDU Secretary-General, argued that the state was spending excessive funds on the program, highlighting that the cost of employing 150 Cuban medical professionals equated to recruiting 500 Kenyan doctors.
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He pointed out differences in family medicine practice between Kenya and Cuba, emphasizing the need to train doctors for the program. After training in Cuba, the doctors had to undergo an additional two years of training in Kenya before receiving clearance from the medical council to practice as family doctors.
In light of the new KMPDC directive, it is anticipated that local graduates will have enhanced employment prospects without facing international competition. The move reinforces the council’s commitment to maintaining healthcare standards and ensuring that medical and dental practitioners meet specified criteria.
Govt Bars Foreign Medical Internships as Kenya Ends Cuban Doctor Exchange Program
