Clinical officers: The heart of Kenyan healthcare

Abstract

The birth of Clinical Officers (CO) began in 1928 when Kenya, then occupied by the British, decided to train a select group of natives to practice medicine and provide care to the local population. Without official Kenyan doctors present inside its own borders, the goal was to fill the gaps in provision of healthcare to the constituents of the country. After acquiring independence from Great Britain in 1963, medical training in Kenya adopted a four-year medical school system recognized by the United States over the previously promoted six-year model in the United Kingdom. Funding arose from the African American Students Foundation (AASF) and was further supported by the Kennedy Airlift which led to hundreds of young Kenyan students getting scholarships to study in American institutions. Upon their return, Kenyan students joined the civil service helping support the newly independent country.