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KMPC chief executive Daniel Yumbya (left), Registrar Uganda Medical Council Okullo Okoth and KMPDC Chairperson Dr Eva Njenga with Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe (second left) in his office on March 7, 2020. [Jeckonia Otieno, Standard]
Most Kenya’s public universities offering medical and health courses are yet to comply with set standards and guidelines approved by East African Community partner states.
In the latest inspection by East African Community national medical and dental practitioners’ boards and councils, only Maeson University has complied with the standards.
Maseno scored 81 points out of a possible 100 points to be declared compliant with more inspections needed for Kisii University which scored 80 point by the Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Council to declare it fully compliant leaving only Maseno as the only public university with fully equipped medical school.
Mount Kenya University (MKU), a private institution was ranked first by the inspection team scoring 82 points.
According to the report, only MKU and Maseno have met the minimum requirement for training of medical and dental students as set out in the EAC partner states mutual recognition agreement.
“The two institutions meet the minimum requirement for training of medical and dental students as provided in the Est African Community, Regional Guidelines for Inspection and Recognition for Medical Schools and Training Hospitals in EAC partner states,” read the report in parts.
The University of Nairobi, School of Dental ranked fourth with 68 points to partially comply with the regional guidelines.
The inspection team took issue with the UON college students’ enrolment and recommended that a maximum number of students be set beginning the year 2020 intake.
Other major institutions such as Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (66), Moi University, School of Medicine (61), UoN School of Medicine (58), Egerton Univerity (54), Kenyatta University (54, Moi University School of Dentistry (54), Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology (53) though partially complied, have a myriad of challenges that need to be addressed to make them better and improve the quality of training.
According to the report, most public universities face challenges such as inadequate financial resources, and physical infrastructure in particular staff offices, classrooms, laboratories and hostels for the students, high number of students compared to the facilities available.
The team also recommended the suspension Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery programme in KU until the recommendations are complied with.
Apart from Mount Kenya, the other private institution that was inspected and declared partially compliant was Kenya Methodist University that emerged seventh generally with 59 points.
To be closed
Uzima University College was declared ‘not complied’ after scoring 49 points in the ranking, therefore their graduates will not be able to get recognition from EAC partner states.
The inspection team has recommended the closure of Uzima medical college and redistribution of continuing students to other medical colleges.
The council also recommended that the Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Council and the Commission of University Education to ensure Uzima medical students are redistributed.
The inspection look into compliance in governance and management, academic programmes, human resource, research, innovation and infrastructure among others listed as minimum requirements as agreed by the EAC states.
This is in line with a directive issued during the 19th ordinary meeting of the EAC Sectoral Council of Ministers of Health in Nairobi last year. The Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Council is leading the operation.
The universities that were inspected included: University of Nairobi, Maseno University, Moi University, Kisii University, Kenyatta University, Egerton University, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, Kenya Methodist University, Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology, Uzima University and Mount Kenya University.
Those that were involved the inspection included Dr Alex Nyamazi, member of Education Committee Rwanda Medical and Dental Council, Dr Eva Njenga chairperson Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Medical council, Prof Joel Okullo, chairman Uganda Medical and Dental Council, Prof Sylvain Pierre Nzeyimana, chairman Burundi Medical Council and Prof David Nazareno Chairperson Muhimbili University of Health Sciences, Tanzania.
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