Kenyatta University medical students want unfettered access to the Kenyatta University Teaching, Referral & Research Hospital after the facility agreed to take in 100 students to start their training this October.
Higher Education Principal Secretary Beatrice Inyangala held a consultative meeting with KUTRRH stakeholders on Monday where the resolution to allow 100 medical students access to the facility was reached.
KU medical students said the access is too limited the number of students needing that exposure is high.
Kenyatta University Student’s Association president Teddy Odhiambo said the number of medical students who can access the hospitals should not be limited.
“We are so many. We have so many students who are in dire need of exposure to research, training and innovation," Odhiambo said.
Students Association secretary-general Thiongo Muiruri said after more than six months of waiting they are happy with the resolution.
“It has been a long battle since we began fighting for the access and ownership rights of the Kenyatta Hospital but now KUTRRH is telling us only 100 students will be allowed to access the facility for education purposes,” Muiruri said.
He said on behalf of the students, they are against the decision because one class of medical students exceeds 100 learners.
“How are we then going to choose who should access it and who shouldn't? What we mean by unfettered access is that all students be allowed in," Muiruri said.
Odhiambo said the University is calling upon the government to grant them ownership of the KUTRRH.
“It is known in the public domain that Kenyatta University students own the hospital. We are the owners of the hospital and actually, this is just the first step. We are accessing a hospital that is ours and we need to own it," he claimed.
However, commenting on the hospital ownership PS Inyangala dismissed the claims by students that the referral facility belongs to the university.
"I think this is not in dispute. The hospital belongs to the government of Kenya. The University belongs to the government of Kenya," he said.
