The Kenya Medical Training College, Nairobi campus, emerged the overall winner in the just-concluded 14th annual sporting event held in Kisumu from July 22-27, 2019. The Nairobi team was dominant, getting titles in most games played across different venues in the lakeside town. However, Kisumu defeated Nairobi 3-1 to capture the men’s soccer title at Moi Stadium, while Siaya won the ladies’ title in the same discipline.
During the closing ceremony, Kisumu Governor Anyang’ Nyong’o thanked the KMTC management for opting for Kisumu as the host city for this year’s competition. Nyong’o pointed out that there were many different types of indoor and outdoor games, such as soccer, volleyball, basketball, rugby, handball, and netball, in addition to draughts, table tennis, and darts. There was also a display of students’ talent in track and field events.
“As we celebrate the winners, let us also encourage those that did not secure trophies this time, reminding them that there will always be another opportunity. In any competition, there must be those that win and others that come close,” added Nyong’o.
Nyong’o acknowledged the role of KMTC in shaping health professionals, indicating that globally, there was a demand for nurses from the institution. He said that currently, KMTCs across the country enroll 65,000 students. Among those who were present included Deputy Governor Dr Ochieng’ Owili, County Ministers Gregory Ganda of Health, Beatrice Odongo of Sports, and John Awiti of Education.
The event, presided over by State Department for Public Health and Professional Standards Principal Secretary Mary Muthoni, gave students a chance to have some fun, network, and air their issues to the Ministry’s top leadership as they prepare to join the job market. According to Muthoni, the recent protests by the Generation Z, Gen-Z, are recognized, and this event is a chance to engage the students, enabling the ministry to tackle issues before they escalate to the streets.
She also mentioned another bill in the pipeline that is aimed at giving guidelines on the quality of care in all public health facilities countrywide. She insisted that attaining Universal Health Coverage was not a matter of infrastructure and advanced equipment, but of high-quality services. “We can put up as many hospitals as possible and have the most advanced equipment and human resources, but without factoring in quality of services offered, we cannot attain Universal Health Coverage,” said she.
She further said that President Dr. William Ruto has appointed a task force to review the human resource for health and make recommendations for its overhauling. “We want all stakeholders, including training institutions like KMTC, to contribute and send memoranda to the task force on how health care workers should be treated,” she added.