Director General of Health, Dr. Patrick Amoth, is taken on a tour of Mount Kenya University’s Malaria Laboratories, where Dr. Jesse Gitaka explains some of the state-of-the-art equipment used in research and training. Dr. Amoth commended the university’s role in advancing healthcare education and pledged support for upcoming programmes, including the Bachelor of Dental Surgery.
Director General of Health Amoth Visits Mount Kenya University to Strengthen Health Education Collaboration
The Director General of Health, Dr. Patrick Amoth, paid a courtesy call to the Vice-Chancellor of Mount Kenya University (MKU) following an invitation by the MKU College of Health Sciences.
During the visit, Dr. Amoth was briefed on the various academic programmes offered by the college. The university reiterated its commitment to training competent healthcare professionals while adhering to the standards set by relevant regulatory bodies.
The Director General and his delegation toured the two ultra-modern nursing skills laboratories equipped with high-fidelity mannequins and a fully functional operating theatre, among other advanced teaching models.
Dr. Amoth was also informed about MKU’s collaboration with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) in the malaria elimination project. Notably, Japan constructed the Malaria Elimination Centre at a cost of Ksh. 100 million to support this initiative.
The university further highlighted its robust public-private partnership with the Kiambu County Government at Thika Level 5 Hospital, where it has invested over Ksh. 300 million to construct a modern Funeral Home cum Anatomy Laboratory. In addition, MKU renovated the hospital’s dental clinic as part of its community engagement efforts.
While addressing university leadership, Dr. Amoth emphasized the importance of the four pillars of Universal Health Coverage (UHC), one of which is the training and recruitment of healthcare workers — a key area where MKU continues to make a significant impact.
He encouraged the university to maintain close consultation with the Ministry of Health when developing new academic programmes. He also underscored the urgent need to train more health professionals to address the human resource gap in healthcare, especially in sub-Saharan Africa.
Dr. Amoth discussed challenges faced by oral health graduates, including internship placement for dental technologists and community oral health officers, and pledged the Ministry’s support as MKU prepares to launch its Bachelor of Dental Surgery programme.
His tour also included visits to various university laboratories and the Thika Level 5 Hospital dental clinic. The MKU College of Health Sciences comprises five schools: the School of Medicine, School of Pharmacy, School of Clinical Medicine, School of Nursing, and the School of Public Health.
Mount Kenya University continues to build strong partnerships with industry and institutions to enhance practical training and prepare students for the dynamic healthcare sector
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