Kenya will place 7,414 health workers hired under the Universal Health Coverage (UHC) programme on permanent and pensionable contracts starting in September 2025, Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale said on Monday. The decision follows a government headcount that identified 215 individuals listed on the payroll as either ghost workers or unqualified practitioners. Salaries for those workers have been halted, and staff facing pending disciplinary cases will also be excluded from the conversion exercise. Duale added that the ministry is scrutinising payment records after concerns were raised about disbursements to non-existent medical facilities. Further action could follow once ongoing investigations into payroll irregularities are completed.