Advanced Nursing Studies Open Day
Kenya Needs 12,000 Doctors and 42,000 Nurses

An Open Day of the Advance Nursing Studies (ANS) programme was organised by AKU in Kenya in June 2005, with the objective of raising the profile of the nursing profession and recognising the contribution made by ANS programme in the provision of health care service to the Kenyan community.

L to R: Arif Neky, Regional CEO, Aga Khan Foundation, East Africa; Dr Eileen Petit-Mshana, Connie Mureithi, Academic Head, ANS programme, Kenya, and Prof. Laetitia King, Chief Academic Officer, AKU.

The first of its kind in East Africa, the event attracted over 150 guests. The highlight of the Open Day was the presentation made by guest speaker Dr Eileen Petit-Mshana, Health System Specialist, UN Millennium Project at the Millennium Development Goals Centre in Nairobi. Dr Mshana said Kenya still requires around 12,000 doctors and 42,000 nurses as against the existing 1,500 medical doctors and 19,500 nurses. She said that the training of nurses is vital to the attainment of Millennium Development Goals. In this regard, Dr Mshana commended AKU for producing students of high calibre, and for including current emerging issues in their academic activities.