The Aga Khan University School of Nursing and Midwifery, East Africa (SONAM EA) and the Medical College, East Africa (MCEA) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the County Government of Murang'a towards the provision of healthcare services, teaching, attachment, and research.
According to the terms of the MoU, the Murang'a County Government will avail its health facilities and community health units as institutions for teaching, research, clinical and public health practice for AKU learners, faculty, staff and researchers while simultaneously supporting the provision of clinical services to the people of Murang'a County.
“As the County Government of Murang'a, our aim is to provide the best healthcare services to our people and we are very glad that the partnership with Aga Khan University will go a long way towards the delivery of quality healthcare services, teaching, research and innovation that will be mutually beneficial to the two institutions," said Dr Irungu Kang'ata, Governor, Murang'a County.
The County and AKU have enjoyed a cooperative rapport in recent years. SONAM provided continuous professional development through short courses and scholarships to nurses and midwives in Murang'a County. The short courses were supported by funding from the KfW Development Bank between 2018 and 2022. The scholarships were supported in partnership with the ELMA Foundation.
"We have enjoyed a productive and longstanding relationship through the free short courses SONAM has offered across healthcare facilities in Murang'a County. Our alumna and County Nursing Officer, Salome Kimani, has been instrumental in meeting the training needs of nurses and midwives across the County," said SONAM EA Dean, Prof Eunice Ndirangu-Mugo. "We hope to build on that foundation with this MoU to enhance the quality of care and services in Murang'a while providing various training opportunities for our nursing students."
In addition to healthcare, the MCEA Dean, Prof Lukoye Atwoli, reiterated AKU's commitment to communities and clients of the Aga Khan University Hospital: "The partnership that we have signed with the County Government of Murang'a provides the Medical College, East Africa, with the opportunity to deepen our engagement in the community through our unique programmes and services, and we expect that our faculty and staff will find opportunities to leverage these kinds of relationships for the benefit of our clients."
AKU and the Murang'a County government agreed to dedicate their resources to fulfilling various healthcare objectives through this five-year MoU by committing several county health facilities as designated placement centres for healthcare delivery, research and training.
The partnership will be instrumental as the University prepares to launch its direct-entry Bachelor of Science in Nursing and Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery programmes by providing learners with the opportunity to deliver healthcare services within a county government health setting while learning from professionals who operate within these settings.
