Nairobi December 5, 2019 – The 87th graduation ceremony of Kenya Medical Training College was marked today in Nairobi County presided by the Cabinet Secretary for Health, Sicily Kariuki
The event saw the release of 12,621 fresh health professionals into the health sector as part of the Ministry of Health broader goal of providing a critical mass of competent health professionals equipped with knowledge and skills to provide quality health care, at each level of Kenya’s health care system.
The CS said the Ministry has made deliberate efforts to increase access and demand for healthcare services and has placed emphasis on improving needs to be prioritized in order to achieve Universal Health Coverage (UHC) one of President Uhuru Kenyatta Big Four Agenda.
For UHC to be achieved the CS said there is need for equitable health access and improvement of quality of health services to ensure all Kenyans get quality health services, when they need them, without suffering financial hardship.
“We have put in place mechanisms to enforce quality of services to be institutionalized at all levels,” she noted.
She disclosed that the Ministry of Health in collaboration with the County Governments is exploring other measures to mitigate the gaps in Human Resources for Health in the country including a collegiate health care workers training system in health facilities to complement the ongoing trainings in medical schools so as to achieve the desirable health workforce in the country in the shortest time possible.
“Adequate, skilled and fairly distributed Human Resource for Health (HRH) is a prerequisite for the attainment of Universal Health Coverage Vision 2030 and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs),’” noted the CS
She also revealed that to increase the number of health care workers in the Country, the Ministry of Health, through the Kenya Medical Training College, has set up additional 43 Campuses increasing the number from 28 in 2013 to 71 across the country.
This year, new campuses in :Mandera, Taveta, Mbooni, Imenti and Kangundo have been opened and are offering training. The increase in the number of KMTC campuses has addressed the demand for health training opportunities and the Ministry will work closely with the KMTC Board to open campuses in the remaining Counties, she said.
She applauded the KMTC for developing and implementing new programs that are market driven and in support of UHC such as: Higher Diploma in – Oncology; Palliative Care; Quality Care Dialysis; Community Based Rehabilitation; Neurotherapy; Audiology and Hearing Care Technology; Emergency and Critical Care Medicine: Chest Medicine; Dermatology; Venereology; Orthotics, Contact Lenses, and a Certificate course in Kenya Sign Language for Health Workers.
The CS also hailed the partnership between KMTC, AMREF and NYS to implement the Presidential directive of training 2000 National Youth Service men and women on Community Health Volunteers module, the collaboration with St. Johns Ambulance to train 1,200 Community Health Volunteers and other partners for their commitment in supporting the implementation of health policies in the country.
She thanked the graduands and the KMTC fraternity on their outstanding achievements and said “I have no doubt that today’s graduands will excel and contribute to the wellbeing of our society, nation and the world at large.”
Health Cabinet Secretary Sicily Kariuki delivers key note address on behalf of H.E The President during the 87th Kenya Medical Training College Graduation Ceremony held at KMTC Graduation Square, Nairobi.
