The Masinde Muliro School of Medicine has received two specialists in a major boost to the consultancy services at the Kakamega County Teaching and Referral Hospital.
They are cardio-thoracic expert Prof P.A. Odhiambo and laboratory expert Prof Johnston Wakhisi.
The arrival of a cardio-thoracic expert means the referral facility can now carry out open heart surgery.
School dean Prof Charles Chunge on Thursday said the school expects three more experts in its formative stages: a microbiologist, pathologist and an immunologist.
“We are now looking for space for the experts to begin working,” Chunge said.
When fully established, the school would require 20 specialists to teach its students.
The school has 16 students who begin their second year in September. “Our school has already become very popular. We had 70 applications but we are only allowed to enrol 20 in a year,” he said.
Chunge, however, said the school is not yet prepared for the second year students expected to report in September.
He said the students need microbiology and pathology laboratories and classrooms.
The school's anatomical laboratory is already in use, he said, adding that the university was mulling turning it into a business to generate income and offer services to the community.
An anatomical laboratory is a mortuary where bodies are held for purposes of teaching.
The school is to use the upcoming Sh6 billion KCTRH for learning. Once complete, the hospital will handle the bulk of referrals from Kakamega, Bungoma, Busia and Vihiga counties for specialised treatment outside Western.
Currently, patients from the four counties are either referred to Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital in Eldoret or Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital in Kisumu.
Edited by R.Wamochie
