Murang’a University of Technology medical students will do their practicals in local health facilities following the signing of an MoU between the institution and the county government.
Vice-Chancellor Dickson Nyariki, who signed the memorandum of understanding with Governor Mwangi wa Iria on Wednesday, said the university will also establish nursing, clinical medicine and surgery programmes.
The university admitted its first 50 Bachelor of Science in medical laboratory students last September.
“The signing of the MoU signifies an essential step towards effective implementation of our health science programmes,” Prof Nyariki said.
He said the memorandum forms the basis of collaboration in the provision of community health, training in medical health sciences, research and outreach.
The VC commended the governor for facilitating the tarmacking of roads leading to the university and enhancing security at the institution by installing street lights.
The county government is also collaborating with the university in the training of agriculture students at Mariira Farmers Training Institute in Kigumo before the institution sets up its own campus.
Wa Iria said the MoU will boost county health services as the students and the professors will be involved in what happens at the facilities.
“We commit to improve health services in particular at Murang’a Level 5 Hospital. We will partner with the university so that it successfully launched the health sciences programme,” he said.
He noted that the university has connections to donor communities and that the partnership will ensure they jointly source funds to upgrade health infrastructure.
The governor said that the university, which received a charter in 2016, has had a major economic effect on Murang’a town and its environs.
He said the 6,000 students have been injecting Sh60 million into the town every month. The university has an annual wage bill of Sh500 million most of which is spent in the town.
“The university is one of the most important factors of development in Murang’a county. It has spurred growth in Murang’a town,” Wa Iria said.
The governor called on the university to hasten the launch of agriculture programmes.
“We have sat with the Vice-Chancellor and agreed to leverage on Mariira Farmers Training Institute that sits on 150 acres. We have agreed to hive off 20 acres to start a constituent agriculture college after approval by the county assembly,” he added.
The campus will initially use the existing infrastructure for studies. When fully operational, the campus will trigger numerous economic activities in Kigumo.
