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The Kenya Medical Training College Board has allocated Sh50 million for the expansion of Lake Victoria Campus in Kisumu.
KMTC Board chairman Philip Kaloki said on Thursday the money will be used to improve the existing laboratory, library, the administration block and a building that houses skills lab equipment.
He said the institution requires expansion to accommodate the rising number of learners.
Currently, the campus has 500 students in nursing, medical engineering, environmental health sciences, and medical laboratory health sciences departments.
Construction work, Kaloki said, will start immediately. He spoke at KMTC Lake Victoria Campus in Kisumu during a cultural event. The board donated a new bus to the campus and offered a double cabin vehicle for the college administration.
He commended Kisumu Central MP Fred Ouda for his financial support.
Lake Victoria Campus principal Catherine Omasaja said the institution has limited infrastructure to accommodate students seeking to pursue various courses.
The institution plans to introduce a diploma in clinical medicine surgery, psychiatric nursing and a certificate.
Kaloki said rising number of students and improvement of infrastructure at KMTC is a milestone in bridging the healthcare worker deficit in the country.
Kaloki the population of students has grown in the last five years from 19,000 students to 40,000 students.
“The board has been instrumental in putting up new campuses – now 70 from 28 five years ago,” the chairman said.
Kaloki said more expansion programmes are in the pipeline to ensure the country has adequate capacity to train more healthcare workers.
The board is planning to launch three new campuses in Imenti (Meru), Taveta (Taita Taveta) and Mbooni (Makueni).