The Kijabe College of Health Sciences in Kenya launched a new diploma in clinical medicine and is now training its first cohort of clinical officers. Through the USAID-funded FUNZOKenya project, IntraHealth International collaborated with the college to develop the curriculum and align with core curriculum standards. The project also built faculty capacity in pedagogy, clinical assessment, converting content for e–learning programs, and using a clinical placement model to improve clinical skills training.

A critical shortage of health workers across all cadres remains one of the key obstacles to achieving universal health care as envisioned in the Constitution of Kenya 2010. Kenya has just over 7,000 practicing clinical officers across all health sectors according to a Ministry of Health report1. The Ministry of Health Norms and Standards recommend a target of 15,447—meaning there is a shortage of over 8,400 clinical officers in the country.

The Clinical Officers Council, which regulates the training and practice of clinical officers in the country, approved the curriculum for the new diploma program in June 2015, and the program opened its doors to its first batch of 23 clinical officer students in September.   

“Kenya has a shortage of clinical officers, yet they perform very essential services,” says the council’s Chief Executive Officer. “The best way to bridge the gap is to expand training in private and faith-based institutions as the capacity [to produce more graduates] in public institutions is limited.”

Kijabe College of Health Sciences is a faith-based training college supported by African Inland Church Kijabe. The college was started in 1980 to train health workers for the Kijabe Mission Hospital. Due to the demand for more training programs for health workers, the college has expanded to train graduates for careers in the broader health sector. 

The FUNZOKenya project is helping Kenya’s Ministry of Health transform health workforce training by improving the quality of health workers and increasing their numbers. A key objective of the project is to expand the capacity of health training colleges to admit and train more students. Kijabe College of Health Sciences is one of 17 training institutions in the country collaborating with the project.

“In starting this course we are fulfilling one of our long-held dreams captured in our strategic plan: starting new programs and expanding training opportunities for prospective health workers,” says Peris Muthoni, the principal of Kijabe College of Health Sciences. “I am happy that FUNZOKenya came in and supported us to realize the dream.” 

[1] Health Workforce Forecast Kenya: A Reference Report 2011.