http://www.nationmedia.com/dailynation/nmgcontententry.asp?category_id=1&newsid=11887
The Daily Nation
20 July 2004
NEWS

Aga Khan University to ease staff shortage

Story by SAMUEL SIRINGI
Publication Date: 07/20/2004

Aga Khan hospitals health facilities provide healthcare to 300,000 patients in Kenya annually. Health Permanent Secretary Patrick Khaemba said yesterday the hospitals were helping to ease congestion at Government facilities.

Speaking at a luncheon hosted by the Aga Khan Development Network Resident Representative Mr Anil Ishani at Serena Hotel, yesterday, Mr Khaemba said the opening of Aga Khan University, in Nairobi, would address the health staff shortage in the country, especially for doctors in special fields.

The luncheon was hosted by the network's resident representative Anil Ishani and attended by Princess Zahra Aga Khan.

Mr Khaemba said the university had already started post-graduate courses in medicine, surgery and radiology. By next year, it will start postgraduate courses in anaesthesia and pathology.

"This ministry (of Health) wishes the university success in this field as this endeavour will create more areas of cooperation and partnership for the benefit of the general public," said Mr Khaemba who represented Health minister Charity Ngilu.

He thanked the Aga Khan university's board of trustees and the Aga Khan fraternity for the great investmenting in health and human resource development in Kenya.

Education Minister George Saitoti said establishment of medical courses at the Aga Khan university supplemented the those offered at Nairobi and Moi universities.

The Aga Khan university's board of trustees is in Kenya as part of a visit to East Africa aimed at reviewing the university's medical and education programmes in the region.