MKU gets go-ahead to start medical school

By STANDARD REPORTER                                 

The Medical Practitioners and Dentists Board (MPDB) has approved a new medical school in Thika.

In a statement sent to newsrooms, University of Nairobi Vice-Chancellor Prof George Magoha, also the current board chairman, said Mount Kenya University (MKU) medical school has been accredited to start training medical doctors.

He said the decision was arrived at after the board inspected MKU facilities and was satisfied the institution had put in place the requisite infrastructure to offer the course.

Magoha said the modern anatomy funeral home constructed by MKU at the Thika Level 5 Hospital will be used by trainee doctors.

“Mt Kenya University, which is the first completely private university to start this programme, is expected to admit the first 50 medical students by September 2014,” said Magoha in a statement signed April 30.

He said MKU now joins the University of Nairobi, Moi, Kenyatta, Egerton and Maseno universities in offering the critical degree programme.

EXPANDING ACCESS

MKU Vice-Chancellor Prof Stanley Waudo also said yesterday that the university is not only committed to expanding access to university education but also to higher training standards, especially in medicine programmes.

Magoha said Kenya Methodist (KeMU) and Uzima universities, which he termed as private faith-based, also offer the course.

MKU founder and chairman Simon Gicharu yesterday said the institution will be the third school by a private university in East Africa after KeMu and Kampala International University.

He noted that the Sh300 million anatomy laboratory constructed by the university is a milestone in the institution’s quest to increase the number of doctors in the country.

“When the rich die they are kept at funeral homes while the poor are taken to mortuaries. General Kago Road Funeral Home will be a paradigm shift in this regard,” said Mr Gicharu.

He said MKU is committed to development of staff in the medical field.

“We are also the first university to offer a Bachelor of Pharmacy in Clinical Medicine.”

Gicharu said MKU has also partnered with the University of Cincinnati on research and other exchange programmes for its students.

Prof Magoha lauded the university, saying the training of more doctors is a timely venture.