The Aga Khan University will from September offer two new programmes after receiving a licence from the Commission for University Education.
The two new degrees in medicine and nursing include the Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBChB) and the Bachelor of Science in Nursing – Direct Entry.
The Bachelor of Science in Nursing – Direct Entry which will be offered at the AKU’s School of Nursing and Midwifery in East Africa is a four-year programme.
It aims to equip nursing students with the skills and competencies needed to function in areas such as patient-centred care, evidence-based practice, quality improvement and use of informatics and technology to enhance the quality of care.
The Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBChB) on the other hand is a six-year degree programme that will be offered at the AKU’s Medical College in East Africa.
It has been designed to prepare medical doctors who are well-grounded with knowledge, competencies and skills in humanities, social sciences and medical sciences and is based on the principles of adult learning and incorporates concepts of best evidence-based learning in medical education.
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“These programmes come at an opportune time when the country, and the region at large is committed to achieving Universal Health Coverage,” AKU’s Vice Chancellor Dr Sulaiman Shahabuddin said.
The two programmes aim to transform the higher education landscape in the region and will be offered simultaneously in a unique setting that brings student doctors and nurses together to gain interprofessional education.
Currently, the Medical College, East Africa offers nine residency programmes through its Postgraduate Medical Education and nine fellowship programmes in Nairobi.
The PS State Department for higher education and Research Beatrice Inyangala on Tuesday, said the launch of new undergraduate programmes is a significant development for the education sector and healthcare industry.
In a speech read on her behalf by Director, of University Education at the Ministry of Education Darius Mogaka, Inyangala said the government is committed to investing in research infrastructure and facilities and recognises the importance of equipping institutions with state-of-the-art equipment and technology that enables research and innovation.
“It is important for universities and institutions offering these programmes to prioritise academic rigour, clinical experience, and ethical principles in their curriculum to ensure that students are prepared to meet the demands and challenges of their respective fields,” she said.
She further noted that despite ongoing training of health professionals over the last decades, there remains a significant shortage in providing the required numbers of health service providers at various levels of the health systems.