The signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) allowing medical students of Kenyatta University to access facilities at KU Referral Hospital has ended a six-year dispute between the two institutions.
Medical students and teaching staff from the university have not been able to use the hospital for practical purposes since it was opened in 2019, owing to what was seen as bad blood between the two sides.
Speaking after the MoU signing at Kenyatta University Teaching Referral and Research Hospital (KUTRRH), KU Vice-Chancellor Prof Paul Wainaina termed it a historical moment and a milestone after years of what he termed as “teething problems.”
“I would like to say there has been no bad blood between the university and the hospital; we have only had teething problems which are now solved. The issue of who owns the hospital is irrelevant now,” Prof Wainaina said.
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The VC, who is set to retire next year after serving for eight years in that capacity, said he will go home as a happy and satisfied person following the signing of the pact, which brings to an end a long-standing stalemate.
Wainaina added that trainee doctors and nurses, as well as medical lecturers and other teaching staff from KU, will have unfettered access to the state-of-the-art facilities at KUTRRH for practical purposes.
The VC spoke to journalists after he and the hospital’s Chief Executive, Dr Zainab Gura, appended their signatures to the new pact, ushering in a new era of partnership.
“When we started this hospital, we had a vision of facilitating medical training and ensuring that our students get top-notch training. We are now privileged to see our students, professors, and hospital officials working together to produce the most competent and best doctors. The equipment that the facility has, particularly for teaching, is the best,” Prof Wainaina added.
The VC noted that implementation of the MoU through the agreed instruments will not only help streamline access to teaching and learning for KU Health Science students at KUTRRH but also facilitate collaboration in areas of shared mandate, such as research.
Dr Gura explained that co-operation between the two institutions began in August this year, when 200 students were admitted to the hospital’s training wing, adding that more are set to join after the pact is formalised.
Dr Gura acknowledged the arduous journey from the initial MoU in 2020, the challenges that followed over time, and the positive achievements realised by the two institutions working together to realise the joint MoU and further collaboration. She thanked all stakeholders for their commitment to realising the common objectives in quality training and research.
“Medical training is a key component of healthcare service delivery, and it’s competence-based. Our partnership with KU will ensure that medical students have access to modern, state-of-the-art medical equipment and facilities at our hospitals. This will surely help them become the most qualified doctors and clinical officers in the country, continent and even internationally,” Dr Gura said.
KUTRRH Board Chairperson James Wambu lauded the efforts of the leadership of the two institutions and the joint implementation committee in realising the revised MoU. He expressed his commitment to the full implementation of the MoU and attendant operationalisation instruments signed.
In October 2023, during a visit to KUTRRH, the Higher Education Principal Secretary, Beatrice Inyangala, noted that the Government was resolving the row between the two institutions. She quipped that officials from both the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Health were working together for the success of the medical training programme.
“We are working together deliberately, positively and collaboratively for the posterity of the programme and for the best outcomes in terms of student competences and research outputs,” the PS averred.
By John Kamau
