KMTC Kangundo campus ready to admit more students, introduces new programmes.
Kenya Medical Training College Kangundo Campus is ready to admit more students in the upcoming September 2019 intake. This follows introduction of two new programmes namely: Certificate/Diploma in Community Health Nursing and Certificate in Orthopaedic Trauma Medicine (Plaster).
Kangundo Campus was started as an initiative of Kangundo Constituency in collaboration with KMTC with an aim of increasing access to medical training opportunities. Currently the Campus offers training in Health Records and Information with the first-year students undertaking their studies at KMTC Manza due to ongoing renovations and construction at the Kangundo Campus.
During the Boards’ tour of the Campus today 27th June, 2019 to assess its preparedness to admit more students this coming September, it was ascertained that the Campus through support of Kangundo National Government Constituency Development Fund (NG-CDF) had put in place the required physical infrastructure to accommodate new students. The Chairman, KMTC Board of Directors Prof. Philip Kaloki led the College delegation during the tour and was joined by Machakos County Deputy Governor Eng. Francis Maliti.
KMTC Board Director Mr. Mithamo Muchiri, Machakos County Executive Committee (CEC) Member for Health Hancent Kituku and Chief Officer of Public Health Mr. Lukas Mwove were also in attendance. KMTC Deputy Registrar – Student Affairs Mrs. Agnes Mualuko represented the Academic Department during the tour. The delegation was received at the Campus by Principal Mr. Benson Munyoli together with other staff.
Speaking during the Campus tour, Prof. Kaloki noted that “in preparation to offer new programmes, Kangundo Campus has engaged the Nursing Council and Clinical Officers Council whose list of requirements have been met for approval to proceed with training”. In addition, he added that “the Campus through support of KMTC Board and Kangundo NG-CDF led by area MP Hon. Fabian Muli has constructed and equipped a modern administration block, hostels, tuition block with several lecture rooms, multipurpose hall, resource centre, skills lab with required mannikins, library and computer lab with internet connectivity”.
Prof. Kaloki observed that the Campus has been branded with corporate colors, electricity and water connected with the road leading to the Campus upgraded. Further, the process of secondment of teaching staff from Machakos County Government to support those from KMTC is ongoing even as the KMTC Board plans to post more staff from the College’s Headquarters to support teaching and learning. The Campus has also put in place mechanisms to provide quality and affordable meals to students and staff.
He said that KMTC will continue partnering with Machakos County and Kangundo Constituency leadership to train more health workers to support the Universal Health Coverage (UHC) pilot project launched in the County. Machakos is one of the four Counties of Kisumu, Nyeri and Isiolo identified by the Government and Ministry of Health for piloting UHC.
UHC is one of President Uhuru Kenyatta’s ‘Big Four’ agenda to transform Kenya by 2022. UHC will ensure that all Kenyans have access to preventive, promotive, curative, rehabilitative and palliative health services at minimum financial burden. KMTC is a key partner in the achievement of UHC as it provides competent health workers to bridge the human resources for health gaps.
On his side, Machakos Deputy Governor Eng. Francis Maliti said “KMTC Kangundo Campus is the first mid-level training institution to be started in the Sub-County and will uplift the social and economic well being of locals as well as provide required human resource in the health sector”. He added that the County Government has prioritized health as a top agenda and a third of its budget is allocated to health. He said the County will work with KMTC to provide more training opportunities to improve health care services in the County.
County CEC Member for Health Mr. Hancet Kituku noted that “the collaboration with KMTC will provide access to training opportunities for the County and more than 400 Community Health Volunteers (CHVs) have already been identified for training.”
Kangundo Level IV has been identified as the main training hospital for the Campus. The Hospital has a bed capacity of 227 and has all the required infrastructural facilities and equipment for medical, surgical, pediatric, maternity and newborn care services. The hospital also has consultants, medical officers and nurses required for training of students. The hospital records more than 400 deliveries a month and more than 650 outpatients daily. Among the Rural training facilities identified to aid teaching and learning at KMTC Kangundo include: – Kivaani, Kakuyuni, Masii, Nguluni and Wamuyu Health Centres among others.
