Kenya will now give first priority to its own trained doctors and health workers before licensing foreign practitioners, Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale has announced.
In a statement released on January 7, 2026, Duale said the move is meant to protect Kenyan professionals who have been trained using public funds and ensure they are given a fair chance to serve the country.
He noted that the government spends significant resources on medical training at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels, making it necessary to place local practitioners first.
“Our responsibility is to the Kenyans we have trained. The State has invested heavily in their education, and they should be the first to serve the country,” Duale said.
The Cabinet Secretary explained that the decision followed concerns within the Ministry of Health after cases were identified where individuals sought registration to practise in Kenya despite not being fully recognised or licensed in their home countries.
Duale said the directive is in line with global standards and practices, pointing to principles set by the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the World Health Organization (WHO), which encourage countries to prioritise employment opportunities for their own qualified health workers.
“No country has built a strong and sustainable health system by relying on foreign health workers before taking care of its own,” he said.
He was quick to clarify that Kenya is not shutting out foreign doctors altogether. Instead, the Ministry of Health will continue to review applications from foreign practitioners on a case-by-case basis.
According to Duale, approvals will only be considered where there is a clear skills gap, particularly in highly specialised or emerging medical fields where local capacity is still limited.
“This is not an isolationist policy,” he added. “Many countries, including developed ones, follow similar approaches prioritising their own professionals while allowing foreign expertise in exceptional cases.”
The government says the policy is aimed at safeguarding jobs for Kenyan health workers, maintaining professional standards, and building a strong, self-sustaining healthcare system.
