The Ministry of Education has encouraged young Kenyans to take nursing courses, saying that Kenyan nurses are most sought after globally due to the nature of the training they have acquired at the medical colleges.
Speaking at KMTC Teso Campus at Kocholia, Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu, nursing is among the most lucrative courses worldwide.
It has attracted broad attention in the job market, ranging from schools, hospitals, orphanages, and homage, thus giving nurses a competitive advantage.
“I want more learners to enroll for nursing courses. I have seen degree graduates taking up nursing courses and eventually secured one of the most prestigious jobs either here in Kenya or abroad,” Machogu said.
This comes days after Kenya signed a bilateral agreement with Britain, among other nations, the MoU that will see Kenya export medical practitioners.
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Kenya has signed a deal to export nurses and midwives to the UK and Saudi Arabia, which the government says will help fight unemployment and provide opportunities for Kenyan employees to earn better pay and invest back home.
Further, he adviced learners to embrace research on health matters to give solutions to some of the primary healthcare problems affecting Kenyans.
“I want you to be part of the solution to the medical problems most Kenyans face today. Kenya today we are advocating for preventive rather than curative, and you must be the solution.”
“If you perform well in your nursing and other related courses you stand a high chance of working abroad. The United States of America, the United Kingdom and other well-established countries are looking to employ Kenyan professionals,” he said.
The overseas nurses earn approximately between Kes 350 000 and Kes 450 000 a month. In some cases, a nurse gets up to Kes 700000.
Health Cabinet Secretary Susan Nakhumicha flagged off a second cohort of Kenyan nurses to the UK on a bilateral labor agreement on August 21.
She lauded Kenyan nurses for living to the standards expected of healthcare workers.
“The Bilateral Labour Agreement between Kenya and the United Kingdom exemplifies the strength and benefits of international collaboration and partnerships,” she said.
The health department has started to benefit from this exchange program, according to the two Cabinet Secretaries, as it will broaden their expertise and expose them to new skills and technology.
