In March 2020, a joint team of the East African Community (EAC) Medical and Dental Regulatory Boards/Councils carried out the third Joint inspection of Medical and Dental Schools and Teaching Hospitals in Kenya. The inspections were conducted between 2nd to 6th March 2020.
The exercise, targeting 11 health-training institutions in Kenya, was in line with a directive of the 19th Ordinary Meeting of the EAC Sectoral Council of Ministers of Health held in Nairobi last year.
The directive requires EAC member States to ensure Medical and Dental Universities as well as their respective Teaching Hospitals to conform to the standards and guidelines governing medical and dental schools in the region with an aim to improving health training and promote harmony in education.
“During the inspections, the teams focused on governance, management, academic programs, human resource, student affairs, infrastructure, monitoring and evaluation of programs and research and innovation. We interacted with University Management, Teaching Hospital Management and Academic Staff to get a view of how they conduct the training programs, and the students to understand their learning experience,” said KMPDC CEO Daniel Yumbya.
A technical team composed of Chairpersons, CEOs/Registrars and Chairpersons of Education Committees of the EAC Partner States Medical and Dental Councils carried out the inspections. Also present were representatives of the Commissionfor University Education (CUE) Kenya, Kenya Health Professions Oversight Authority (KHPOA) and staff of East African Community Secretariat. Chaired by Dr. Nyemazi Alex from Rwanda Medical and Dental Council with KMPDC CEO Mr. Daniel Yumbya as the rapporteur, the team visited training centers in the country assessing compliance levels.
“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 East African Community Partner States,” said Mr. Yumbya further noting that they wanted to determine whether the institutions inspected during the second joint inspection, had fully complied with the recommendations made.
Medical and Dental Schools inspected include, Kisii University, University of Nairobi, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture & Technology, Moi University, Kenya Methodist University, Egerton University, Kenyatta University, Uzima University and Moi University.
Ten out of 11 institutions were compliant with the set guidelines with Mount Kenya University School of Medicine being ranked the best performing University after scoring 82 points out of 100.
However, inspectors ordered closure of Uzima University College Medical School for noncompliance to training standards. The institution was ordered to redistribute all continuing students to the other medical schools.
Graduates from the 10 institutions approved to continue training, are eligible for recognition within the EAC States. This means they can practice their internships and work in any country in the region without the need for further training or being subjected to internship qualifying or pre-registration examinations as set out in the Mutual Recognition Agreement.
Mr. Yumbya says the Council will continue with routine inspections of training facilities to promote quality training.
