New college hopes to attract thousands

Mt Kenya University founder Simon Gicharu during a past graduation ceremony. The university converted its Kitale campus into a medical college. FILE PHOTO | NMG

What you need to know:

  • The college opened its doors in January.
  • The college has students pursuing community health and HIV management, health records and information technology and nutrition and dietetics courses.
  • The institution, according to the acting registrar for academic affairs, Jackson Murigi, is driven by the desire to develop healthcare professionals with requisite knowledge, skills and attitude necessary for outstanding services.

Mt Kenya University is banking on its new college in Kitale to tap into the lucrative medical and health science courses.

The college opened its doors in January.

This was after the university converted its Kitale campus into a medical college.

It is known as Equip Africa College of Medical and Health Sciences.

The college, which is being financed by Mount Kenya Foundation, hopes to bridge the deficit of health professionals in Kenya and the continent.

The institution, according to the acting registrar for academic affairs, Jackson Murigi, is driven by the desire to develop healthcare professionals with requisite knowledge, skills and attitude necessary for outstanding services.

“The college will come in handy for students who scored C and below in the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education examination and build their career. It will offer certificate and diploma courses,” Mr Murigi said.

The college has students pursuing community health and HIV management, health records and information technology and nutrition and dietetics courses.

The second intake will be in in September and the courses will include clinical medicine and surgery, nursing and environmental health science and medical laboratory, all at diploma level.

“We have most of the approvals,” he said of accreditation from regulatory agencies such as Kenya Medical Laboratory Technicians and Technologists Board, Clinical Officers Council and the Nursing Council of Kenya.