Mount Kenya University (MKU) medical students will now have enhanced access to advanced training facilities at Kenyatta University Teaching, Research and Referral Hospital following the signing of the partnership agreement between the two institutions—a very major milestone in medical education and healthcare training conducted in Kenya.
The Partnership Agreement
Key Figures and Initial Placements
The MoU was signed by MKU Vice-Chancellor Prof. Deogratius Jaganyi and Chief Executive of KUTRRH Ahmed Dagane, formalizing the collaborative terms. Under the very agreement, 42 medical sciences students from MKU have already been booked for clinical attachments at KUTRRH. This very first placement underscores an immediate impact relevant to medical training.
Areas of Focus
Dagane highlighted that the partnership would strengthen several key areas:
- Training and Capacity Building: The agreement is aimed at improving the training and capacity building of health workers and students from both institutions.
- Internships: The internship programs, aimed at giving students experience, shall be effected in both institutions.
- Specialized Workshops: here is a clear plan to have joint workshops held on very critical areas of health, including non-communicable and infectious diseases.
Benefits Beyond Training
In addition to educational benefits, the partnership extends to other critical areas:
- Specialized Care: The staff at MKU will receive specialized care at KUTRRH.
- Research and Innovation: It shall increase the joint research and innovation activities; guaranteed increased involvement in the implementation of sustainable development goals.
- Employment Opportunities: Past students at MKU whose attachments were in ICT at KU hospital, were employed at the facility, this shows a clear possibility of employment of these future medic students.
Comments from Key Stakeholders
Ahmed Dagane, KUTRRH CEO
Dagane said that the partnership resonated with KUTRRH’s mandate and, at the same time being a Level Six referral facility, serves as a training institution for medical students across the country. He reiterated the commitment of the hospital towards supporting medical education and delivering specialized care.
Prof. Deogratius Jaganyi, MKU Vice-Chancellor
Prof. Jaganyi also lauded the partnership saying it’s a demonstration of potential for local institutions to collaborate. “We make mistakes by traveling to foreign countries to look for collaboration, yet the best collaborator is just next door, he said, referring to the power of local linkages.
Prof. Peter Wanderi, MKU Training and Linkages
Accompanying the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Wanderi-in-charge of Training and Linkages at MKU-echoed the importance of the partnership in regard to the realization of goals set by the institution as a result of collaborative efforts.
Implications for Medical Education in Kenya
Enhanced Learning Opportunities
The agreement will give MKU students exposure to state-of-the-art facilities and practical training that would be important in their professional development. The institution will provide clinical attachments and internships at KUTRRH, which will be important in giving students relevant working experience necessary for the healthcare sector.
Strengthening Local Institutions
Additionally, the MoU provides an example of how the local institutions can join hands and resources together to uplift themselves to attain certain goals. It therefore shows that there is a possibility that such collaborations at the local level can yield needed resources and opportunities without seeking for partnerships at abroad.
Future Prospects
With plans for joint workshops, research collaboration, and more importantly, improved training programs already in the pipeline, the continuation of the partnership should be long-term in terms of its positive impacts on medical education and healthcare services in Kenya. The commitment to sustainable development goals thus underscores the wider benefits to society flowing from the proposed collaboration.