KMTC set to open college in Isiolo
By Christine Muchira
Kenya Medical Training College Board of Directors have approved the unveiling of the first ever KMTC campus in the entire Northern Kenya region and announced that at least 30% of all admissions at the campus will be reserved for qualified learners from the County.
The news is definitely music to their ears considering the level of scramble for positions at the existing campuses countrywide.
With many local youths remaining idle and some reportedly being radicalized and joining dangerous outfits like Alshabaab, the institution will offer a ray of hope for some of them to acquire skills and get employment.
Speaking in Isiolo during the proposed institution’s inspection tour, the chairperson Kenya Medical Training College Board of Directors Prof Philip Kaloki said that the College will open its doors on the 15th September, adding that the initial preparations by the County government were declared satisfactory by the board.
He said that the board had agreed that as part of an affirmative action, 30% of admissions at the new campus will be reserved for qualified locals in order to help develop the County to ensure that they have adequate staff from the County working in their health facilities.
Prof Kaloki announced that the institution will begin with two programmes, Nursing and Medical Records with each having 50 students to begin with.
He said that 100 students will report during the first intake on 15th next month with the next intake slated for March next year with other programmes being introduced with time.
Prof Kaloki hinted that the institution will be one of the biggest with time considering that Isiolo is central to the National government’s plan of establishing mega vision 2030 projects such as the resort city which in turn translate to huge investments.
He added that with the expected rise in population, the demand in a highly trained healthcare workforce is also set to rise, and that is where the institution comes in.
Isiolo County governor Godana Doyo said that the opening of the medical college was a milestone, not only for Isiolo but the entire Northern Kenya region.
He said that the County government will move with speed to ensure that they meet the conditions set by the board within reasonable time to ensure that the opening date is actualized.
Doyo said that the campus will offer local youths a chance to acquire skills in the field of medicine and consequently job opportunities within Isiolo and beyond.
Some of the unused structures at the hospital grounds will be renovated to act as classrooms while some staff quarters will be converted into hostels for a start as construction of new buildings for the institution is set to begin.
The governor said that the County government will set aside 10 acres of the hospital land for construction of the institution as students continue learning in the existing buildings.
Prof Kaloki hailed the partnership between the national government and County governments to ensure that there was adequate equipment within hospitals.
He thanked the president, and the governors who had agreed to lease the equipment, adding that the move was crucial towards saving lives and reducing congestion at the few referral hospitals while medical students will also benefit from having them around.
