The number of trainees who will be allowed to access facilities at the Kenyatta University Teaching and Referral Hospital will be limited.
Health CS Susan Nakhumicha told the Standing Committee on Health on Friday that a primary accreditation report indicated that there will be a limit on the number of students the hospital can accommodate.
The CS together with the two health PSs, Harry Kimtai and Mary Muthoni, appeared before the committee to address critical concerns surrounding the management and utilisation of resources at the hospital by medical students from Kenyatta University.
Last week, a team from the Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Council led by the CEO David Kariuki inspected KUTRRH to assess its preparedness to receive KU medical trainees.
Inspection is a pre-condition for any hospital to receive approval from the council to accept students.
Nakhumicha said the hospital's readiness to accommodate students will largely depend on the accreditation report and confirmed that a preliminary report is already available.
“Based on its findings, the hospital is expected to initiate student training as planned within the stipulated three months,” she said.
“However, the report might indicate some limitations regarding the initial number of students the hospital can accommodate, taking into account factors like bed capacity and logistical considerations,” she added.
The CS had earlier directed KMPDC and the Nursing Council of Kenya (NCK) to expedite the hospital's accreditation process.
This will be solely focused on preparing the hospital for student training to enable it commence training within the next three months.
The CS acknowledged that the matter at hand involves multiple sectors, including the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Interior. She said a high-level committee has been working to resolve the issues.
However, Nakhumicha expressed concern over possible delays in implementing necessary actions due to prolonged deliberations among various stakeholders.
She assured the committee that the government is committed to resolving the issues at the hospital and enhancing the overall quality of healthcare services nationwide.
The limit in the number of students is likely to spark another war between the two institutions even as students continue to be on the receiving end.
Students at Kenyatta University have for long been on the receiving end as ownership wrangles between the two institutions took center stage.
The ownership stalemate pitting the university and the hospital saw the university unable to mount new programmes.
In their submissions in Parliament last year, the university accused the hospital of restricting students seeking practical lessons, a critical requirement of their learning where they are required to have hands on experience.
In the planning of the hospital, it was the expectation of the university that the College of Health Sciences would be housed on the hospital grounds.
The facilities that were meant for the school were, however, repurposed.
