Labour Cabinet Secretary Simon Chelugui and UK Health Secretary Sajid Javid signed an agreement paving way for Kenyan qualified medics to be absorbed into the UK’s National Health Service.

This means qualified but unemployed medical practitioners from Kenya will have the opportunity to work in the UK in the new scheme.

The agreement was part of President Uhuru Kenyatta’s request to the UK government during his 3-day state visit to London.

Currently, Kenya records numbers of unemployment among them, over 5,000 qualified but unemployed medical practitioners.

Uhuru also witnessed the signing of the Kenya-UK Health Alliance. The alliance brings together Kenyan and UK learning institutions such as Universities and teaching hospital facilities, cooperating on health partnerships.

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An example of that kind of partnership is the improvement of cancer treatment for Kenyan citizens.

Sajid Javid, Uhuru Kenyatta and Simon Chelugui. PHOTO/COURTESY

The link between Kenyatta University Teaching Research and Referral Hospital and the University of Manchester/Christie NHS Foundation Trust occasioned the partnership.

Through the partnership, the prevention and management of cancer in Kenya will be significantly improved while promoting Kenya as a regional hub for cancer treatment.

The newly signed agreement enables the two-party countries to exchange expertise and skills across cementing the health partnership between them that spans 30 years and still growing.

According to the British High Commissioner to Kenya Jane Marriot, the UK has a long and proud history of supporting Kenya’s health sector.

"From Covid-19 vaccines and genomic sequencing to exchanges on cancer research and treatment to help Kenya treatment more cancer patients at home, the UK has a long and proud history of support for Kenya’s health sector," Marriot said.

UK Health Secretary said Kenya and UK have a historic and mutually respectful relationship which he said was strengthened during the COVID-19 pandemic.

PHOTO/PSCU

"This has been strengthened by working closely with Kenya during the pandemic and sharing UK vaccine doses to support Kenya’s fight against COVID-19," Sajid said.

He noted that with the signing of the agreement, the two countries will provide first-class healthcare.

“Our healthcare agreement will make the most of UK and Kenyan health expertise which will be beneficial to both countries, with the exchange of knowledge and training which will provide first-class healthcare,” he added.