Health Ministry suspends nursing council CEO Lister Onsongo over illegal internship scandal
The Ministry of Health has suspended Dr Lister Onsongo, Chief Executive Officer of the Nursing Council of Kenya (NCK), after uncovering a serious regulatory breach involving the Council and ten public and private universities.
The violation centres on the illegal placement of 42 Bachelor of Science (BSc) Nursing students into internship positions before they had completed their academic studies—contravening both the Nursing Council Act and guidelines set by the Public Service Commission (PSC).
As a consequence, the Ministry has immediately revoked all internship letters issued to the 42 students, who have been directed to vacate their duty stations while investigations continue.
Onsongo will remain suspended as the Ministry conducts a full internal audit of all 2,098 BSc Nursing interns currently under the programme.
In a statement released on Monday, Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale said, “I have appointed Ms Ann Mukuna, Director of Standards and Compliance, to take over the operations of the Council until further notice.”
The Ministry of Health reaffirmed its commitment to upholding the highest standards in healthcare training and deployment, vowing to hold all those responsible fully accountable—whether from the Ministry itself, the Nursing Council of Kenya, or leadership within the implicated universities.
Duale emphasised that the breach compromises the integrity of the country’s healthcare training system and threatens the future of nursing professionals. He assured the public that swift, transparent measures would be taken to restore trust and reinforce professional standards.
"This matter is being handled with utmost urgency to safeguard professional standards, ensure compliance with statutory requirements, and protect the rights of nursing graduates as well as the public," said Duale
The violation centres on the illegal placement of 42 Bachelor of Science (BSc) Nursing students into internship positions before they had completed their academic studies—contravening both the Nursing Council Act and guidelines set by the Public Service Commission (PSC).
As a consequence, the Ministry has immediately revoked all internship letters issued to the 42 students, who have been directed to vacate their duty stations while investigations continue.
Onsongo will remain suspended as the Ministry conducts a full internal audit of all 2,098 BSc Nursing interns currently under the programme.
In a statement released on Monday, Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale said, “I have appointed Ms Ann Mukuna, Director of Standards and Compliance, to take over the operations of the Council until further notice.”
The Ministry of Health reaffirmed its commitment to upholding the highest standards in healthcare training and deployment, vowing to hold all those responsible fully accountable—whether from the Ministry itself, the Nursing Council of Kenya, or leadership within the implicated universities.
Duale emphasised that the breach compromises the integrity of the country’s healthcare training system and threatens the future of nursing professionals. He assured the public that swift, transparent measures would be taken to restore trust and reinforce professional standards.
"This matter is being handled with utmost urgency to safeguard professional standards, ensure compliance with statutory requirements, and protect the rights of nursing graduates as well as the public," said Duale
Ministry of Health
Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale
nursing interns
Lister Onsongo
Nursing Council of Kenya
NCK
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