West Pokot Governor Simon Kachapin has opened three classrooms and handed over a double cabin vehicle from Kenya Medical Trainig College (KMTC) Board of Directors that will help enhance access to clinical areas by students and their supervisors.
While handing over the vehicle, Governor Kachapin said the college has helped increase the number of healthcare professionals and contributed to universal healthcare coverage in the region.
He said his administration would prioritize the health sector through improving its quality of services at all levels.
Governor Kachapin pointed out that the college has helped to promote economy and development through job creation and real estate business in the region.
“The college has uplifted the livelihoods of residents in the area through infrastructure development and real estate,” he echoed.
He reiterated that government would continue to deepen its commitment to promoting health system and ensuring students get quality education.
He further reiterated that training of healthcare professionals in the region has helped bridge the gap of the health workers shortage.
The area governor pledged to support needy students through bursaries to enable them continue with their studies without interruption.
Kapenguria KMTC Principal Ezekiel Kendagor observed that since the government devolved medical training to counties, many students who lived far and wide have been able to access learning effectively with the locals benefiting from 30 per cent enrollment.
He said the college has a rising enrollment rate and called for assistance to enhance infrastructure, staff and learning equipment. The college has a student population of over 1,200.
He explained that the college offers certificate courses in community health nursing, nutrition and dietetics, higher diploma in family and medicine, diploma in community health nursing and diploma in clinical medicine and surgery.
He requested for hiring of more staff, construction of more classrooms and hostels to accommodate the increasing number of students seeking admission and in preparation for additional courses the institution expects to offer.
He said there was need to increase student accommodation as the existing hostel can only cater for 78 students leaving the rest of the student population to lodge outside the campus in private rented premises.