Exploring Global Workforce Solutions in Nairobi, Kenya

Posted on February 15, 2024 by Anna Mowry

In January, LeadingAge Minnesota members traveled to Nairobi, Kenya, to explore international recruitment partnerships with a delegation of other Minnesota providers led by Rep. Mohamud Noor of the Minnesota House of Representatives.

New solutions for Kenya nurses to work abroad

Many Kenyan nurses want to work in other nations, but to do so, they must pass the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX) to become registered nurses. In Africa, there was only one NCLEX center in Johannesburg, South Africa, causing significant access issues. Africa is nearly four times the size of the US, and the next closest testing centers are in England and India—limiting many African nurses from the opportunity to test and work abroad.

Rep. Noor collaborated with the State Department of Diaspora Affairs and the NCLEX-RN testing vendor, Pearson Vue, to establish a new center in Nairobi. The Ministry of Health in Kenya reports, “This fully-equipped center, a game-changer for Kenyan nurses, is set to significantly reduce costs by 50%. The establishment of the NCLEX Centre in Nairobi eliminates the need for nurses to travel abroad, bringing transformative benefits to our healthcare sector.”

The significance of the center opening drew the attention of the Kenyan Prime Cabinet Secretary, Musalia Mudavadi, who gave his remarks celebrating the launch and the new opportunities for Kenyan nurses to work abroad. Click here to watch the test center opening and remarks.

LeadingAge Minnesota members joined the delegation

The Minnesota delegation traveled to Nairobi to affirm the need for the new NCLEX center and represent Minnesota as a state to welcome diasporan nurses warmly and represent aging services providers. The delegation met with recruitment agencies and toured Kenya Medical Training College, the Nairobi Hospital and College of Health Sciences, Ready Care Staffing, and a new NCLEX prep and training center. Watch this video to see a glimpse of our tours.

The delegation gathered data and viewpoints from Kenyan officials, nurses, recruitment agencies, and the greater East African community throughout the trip. Thank you to the LeadingAge Minnesota members who joined and collaborated on this experience.

Key takeaways

1. Kenya wants to be a global partner in addressing healthcare shortages and raising global health standards. The economy does not produce enough jobs annually, creating a misalignment between skills and available jobs, making it difficult to find employment.
2. Kenyan nurses want to work abroad, and the U.S. is a desired country. Diaspora nurses from Kenya working abroad boost the economy and often return as entrepreneurs who lead new companies and enhance processes. Currently, 3% of their GDP comes from remittance dollars, with strategic plans to increase this.
3. Kenyan nurses are qualified healthcare professionals. All education is in English at primary, secondary, and college levels, with quality training and technology. Kenyan institutions have an educational focus on improving digital literacy and integrating new technologies, and geriatric nursing is becoming an up-and-coming specialty.

Nairobi by the numbers

• 1,500 (and growing!) nurse candidates are waiting to take the NCLEX at the new Nairobi center.
• 22,695 healthcare professionals graduated from Kenya Medical Training College programs last year, and there are currently 64,000 students and 74 locations.
• 3 million Kenyan nationals live abroad, about 8% of the total population.
• $4 billion of remittance funds go back to Kenya annually, approximately 3% of the GDP.

Next steps

LeadingAge Minnesota is eager to deepen these new partnerships, give senior care providers opportunities to connect with qualified healthcare professionals abroad and support the Kenyan diaspora already in our workforce. To connect with future opportunities related to this work, please reach out to Anna Mowry.