The government will put up a Kenya Medical Training College (KMTC) campus in Kirinyaga County in readiness for the opening up of a Level 5 hospital in the area.
Subsequently, money and land for putting up the facility are already available, while construction works will commence before the end of this year.
According to KMTC Director Muchiri Mithamo, the first batch of students will be admitted to the proposed campus by next year.
Speaking at Riamigaa village, Kirinyaga West Sub- County, Mithamo said since the construction of the ultra-modern Kerugoya Referral Hospital was almost complete, a medical training centre must be set up immediately in order for the facility to qualify as a Level 5 hospital.
The referral hospital is also due for completion within the next few months and will have a state of the art theatres, 342-bed capacity, provision of piped oxygen to each bed, HDU, ICU, Renal Unit facilities and a Mother and Child Ward.
The five-storey complex is a flagship project of Governor Anne Waiguru who has since assured the area residents that it will be a game-changer in terms of the provision of quality services.
Mithamo said the students to be enrolled at the college would complement the provision of services to the residents as they went about their learning.
“Since Independence, our county has never had KMTC campus, unlike neighbouring counties where their people have benefited immensely,” Mithamo said. “Once this facility becomes operational it will certainly spur economic activities in the area due to the high number of students to be enrolled,” he added.
At the same time, Kirinyaga County also lacks a teacher training college unlike Nyeri, Murang’a, Embu, and Meru, hence the renewed push by area residents to have such facilities urgently.
By Irungu Mwangi
