Mutahi Kagwe announces more jobs for unemployed nurses in Italy and Kuwait

Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe has announced more jobs for unemployed Kenyan nurses in Italy and Kuwait.

Speaking on Monday during a ceremony to see off 19 nurses who passed tests to work in the UK under a bilateral agreement by Kenya and the UK government, CS Kagwe said they were completing the UK recruitment before embarking on other countries.

“We have also received an offer for Kuwait but we want to be done with the UK process first. The fact that Kenya’s ambition is to become a healthcare hub can only happen if the recipients are open-minded about the opportunities,” he stated.

The CS stated that 13 out of the 19 nurses would take off to the UK on Tuesday, June 28, while the remaining six nurses would travel in two weeks' time.

He also highlighted that 80 more qualified nurses, who had passed the English proficiency test, were awaiting review and possible placement in other hospitals in the UK.

AFP

Under the Memorandum of Understanding signed in July 2021, Kenya is seeking to send 20,000 nurses to UK hospitals in a bid to improve the welfare of its migrant workers overseas.

The exercise faced challenges the first time after only 10 nurses were able to pass the required language proficiency test but CS Kagwe has confidence that the cohorts were well trained and prepared for the job they going to undertake.

“The nurses we are flagging off today are well trained and have passed the test of English proficiency. All the candidates have the language ability to be productive in their destination country,” he said.

The CS also insisted the government will not tax Kenyan nurses working in the UK asserting that it is the nurses' mandate to decide on how to spend their income.

"May I say at this point that what these nurses and indeed all other nurses get from their employment in the UK is their income, The government is not going to collect any fee whatsoever from that income. As they say, what you do with your income, is absolutely up to you," he stated.