The Murang’a University of Technology has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the local county government aimed at promoting training on various health courses.
Last year, the university admitted 50 students to pursue Bachelor of Medical Laboratory Science and the MoU will assist the trainees to get attachment for practical training across health facilities in the county.
Speaking during signing the MoU at Governor Mwangi wa Iria’s office on Wednesday, the University Vice Chancellor, Prof. Dickson Nyariki noted that the agreement will further play a key role in enabling the institution to gradually establish other science programmes.
“Signing the MoU signifies an essential step towards an effective implementation of health science programmes such as nursing, clinical medicine and surgery,” added Nyariki.
He noted that the mutual areas of collaboration with the county government include provision of community health, training of medical health sciences and research in health sciences, among other relevant fields.
The VC was optimistic that the university will soon have a full-fledged school of health sciences, so as to boost the country’s agenda on provision of universal health care.
Murang’a University, with student population of about 5000 was granted charter in 2015 and has largely been offering training in technical and business related courses.
On his part, the Governor lauded the rapid growth being witnessed at the premier institution of higher learning in the county, adding that it has revolutionized the economic status of Murang’a town and its environs.
He said having a full-fledged school of health science at the university will not only help the trainees, but also the county in provision of better health services within its public facilities.
“The MoU is very crucial as the trainees being attached our health facilities will bring with them requisite expertise from their different fields training and also the county will greatly benefit from the sophisticated medical equipment needed for teaching health related courses,” said Wa Iria.
Meanwhile, the county government will further support the university to set up a constituent college to train agriculture related courses at Mareira Farm in Kigumo Sub County.
“At the 150-acre farm, we will hive off 20 acres and give them to the university to start a constituent college which offer training in agricultural related courses,” added the governor.
At the same time, the university management is seeking assistance from the county and national government to repossess its parcels of lands which have been grabbed by private developers.
The VC noted that due to encroachment on the university’s land, they have not been able to put up necessary infrastructure so as to promote teaching among other activities at the university.
By Bernard Munyao
