Mount Kenya University’s School of Medicine has been ranked top in the region.
A report by the Medical and Dentists Board from East African Community countries shows three schools of medicine from Kenya were certified to train doctors and other healthcare professionals.
MKU emerged top with 82 points out of 100. Maseno University came in second with a score of 81 and Kisii University (80).
The report raises concerns about the quality of education offered by schools of medicine run by major universities.
The board ordered Kenyatta University and Kenya Methodist University to suspend the intake of new students following inspections of 13 medical and dental schools.
The report notes that the three schools of medicine meet the minimum requirements for training of medical or dental students as provided in the EAC Regional Guidelines for Inspection and Recognition of Medical Schools and Teaching Hospitals in the EAC Partner States.
Upon qualification, their graduates shall be eligible for recognition within the EAC bloc.
The audit of medical schools was done following a directive by the ministries of Health from EAC.
The report paints a worrying picture for medical schools in Kenya, with more established universities failing to meet basic requirements.
They include the University of Nairobi, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, Moi University’s, Egerton University and Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology.
UoN’s School of Medicine had a score of 58, while its School of Dental Sciences scored a slightly better at 68 out of 100.
The oldest university in the country has been ordered to undertake a number of measures to improve training facilities, including limiting the number of students to its medical courses as well as increasing the facilities through opening more functional training sites.
MKU is a fairly recent entrant in teaching medicine and health sciences with its inaugural class admitted to study Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery in 2017.
It has made major strides within the period and one of the major milestones is refurbishing General Kago Funeral home at a cost of Sh300 million which is used by Thika Level 5 Hospital.
