The Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Board has issued accreditation for the school of medicine at Masinde Muliro University in Kakamega.
The school was handed the accreditation by a team led by board CEO Daniel Yumbya yesterday.
It becomes the 10th medical school in the country. The school has been allocated 20 students by the Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service to begin lessons this month. Eli Nyaimo, the KMPDB assessment and training committee chairman, said, “As we leave here, we’re leaving them with a clear mandate to commence operations.”
Vice chancellor Fred Otieno said the university was committed to upholding the standard in the medical school. “I am delighted that the journey we started three years ago has finally come to fruition and I long to see all specialists stationed here,” he said.
On Wednesday, Otieno said the university has the requisite equipment for the school and appealled to well-wishers to come to its support.
KMPDB and the Commission for University Education inspected the facilities in June and directed more laboratories and lecturers to be hired.
Dean John Chunge said the school will begin with basic sciences in the first and second year. The medical school will use St Mary’s Hospital in Mumias town, Mukumu Hospital and the Kakamega County Teaching and Referral Hospital for practicals.
The first phase of the hospital will be opened next month. The 750-bed capacity facility will be the first facility of its nature in the former Western province once complete.
Currently, patients from Kakamega, Bungoma, Busia and Vihiga counties seeking specialized medication are referred to either Moi Teaching or Referral hospital in Eldoret or Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral in Kisumu.