In a dramatic development, the Ministry of Health has terminated the Chief Executive Officer of the Nursing Council of Kenya, Dr. Lister Onsongo, following the discovery of a significant breach in internship protocols.
The ministry revealed that 42 Bachelor of Science (BSc) Nursing students from various public and private universities were illegally granted internship placements before completing their academic programs, flouting the Nursing Council Act and Public Service Commission (PSC) guidelines.
Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale announced the immediate revocation of the internship letters, instructing the affected students to leave their duty stations as investigations get underway.
Alongside Onsongo’s suspension, the ministry has ordered a thorough audit of all 2,098 nursing interns in the 2025/2026 cohort.
Ms. Ann Mukuna, Director of Standards and Compliance, has stepped in to temporarily manage the council’s operations.
Duale stressed that the ministry is addressing the issue with utmost urgency, vowing to hold accountable any individuals found responsible whether within the ministry, the Nursing Council, or the implicated universities.
This scandal has spotlighted concerns over regulatory oversight in Kenya’s health education sector, with the ministry pledging to protect professional standards and the rights of nursing graduates and the public amid growing national scrutiny.
