Report gives shocking verdict on university medical schools

Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentist Council CEO Daniel Yumbya. He was the rapporteur assisted by staff of the East African Community Secretariat

Only two public universities and one private university have fully complied with the teaching standards and guidelines governing medical and dental training in Kenya, a new report says.

Most shocking is the proposal that Uzima University School of Medicine is shut and existing students redistributed to other medical schools.

And for some universities­ – Kenya Methodist University and Kenyatta University – the report wants them to suspend admission of students until some conditions listed in the report are met.

The details are contained in March 7, 2010 inspection report of Medical and Dental Schools and Teaching Hospitals in Kenya. A team of technical health experts from the East Africa Community Partner States National Medical and Dental Practitioners Regulatory Councils did the joint report.

The inspection was done between March 2 and 6. Dr Nyemazi Alex, member, Education Committee, Rwanda Medical and Dental Council chaired the inspection.

Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentist Council CEO Daniel Yumbya was the rapporteur assisted by staff of the East African Community Secretariat. Details of the report reveal that only Maseno University, Kisii University and Mount Kenya University (MKU) schools of medicine scored 80 per cent and above, meeting minimum requirements for training of medical students.

MKU emerged top in compliance, scoring 82 per cent, followed by Maseno at 81 per cent and Kisii with 80 per cent. This means that ‘upon qualification, graduates in these universities shall be eligible for reciprocal recognition within the EAC Partner states as set out in the Mutual Recognition Agreement,’ reads the report. The rest of the universities teaching medicine partially complied, with a score of below 70 per cent, inviting various recommendations such as admitting correct number of students and employing right staff.

Other universities fell short of the standards because of infrastructure capacity gaps, lack of capacity building for clinical and technical staff. Others lack accommodation for students in clinical years next to the hospital.

However for Kisii University, the report says the Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Council shall carry out an inspection prior to commencement of the clinical phase of training.

The report reveals that the University of Nairobi School of Dental Science, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture & Technology, medical school, Moi University, School of Medicine each partially complied, scoring between 68 per cent and 61 per cent. Interestingly, University of Nairobi School of Medicine scored 58 per cent, tying with Kenya Methodist University, School of Medicine.

Egerton, Faculty of Health Sciences scored 54 per cent, while Kenyatta University, School of Medicine and Moi University School of Dentistry each scored 54 per cent. Masinde Muliro University of Science & Technology, School of Medicine scored 53 per cent as Uzima University College ranked last with 49 per cent.

The objectives of the inspection were to ascertain whether the Medical and Dental Schools are operating in compliance with the set standards and guidelines as approved by the EAC States.

In addition, the inspection aimed at ascertaining whether the institutions inspected in the Second Joint Inspection, had fully complied with recommendations contained therein.

The inspection report recommends that Kemu School of Medicine suspends admission of students in academic year 2020 to enable the school adequately teach the over-enrolled first year students.