Mount Kenya University (MKU) has announced plans to introduce Master’s Degree Programme in Health Information Management Program due to public demand.
Vice Chancellor Prof Deogratius Jaganyi said this was in line with the institution’s endeavour to offer market- driven courses and improve the absorption of graduates in the industry both locally and internationally.
Speaking when the university received accreditation to train health records professionals at the institution’s Thika Main Campus, the VC said the programme seeks to expose graduates to modern technology in the health records domain which apply in the job market.
MKU has been offering Bachelor of Science in Health Records and Information Management since 2012 and has graduated thousands in degrees, diplomas and certificates.
“Following this success, we intend to upgrade and offer a Masters Degree programme in Health Information Management. Our health records and information technology graduates are making an impact in diverse sectors including the government, Non-governmental Organisations, academia, and international bodies such the World Health Organisation. With the Masters programme, they can only do better in this field,” noted the VC.
He said the institution’s success in the health field and partnerships in training has helped them receive this latest accreditation from the Health Records and Information Managers Board adding that it will make their graduates become more recognised in the Health field.
The Chairman, Health Records and Information Managers Board Onesmus Mwaura said the accreditation seeks to streamline the training of the health records and information management officers in the country.
Mwaura said through a set of guidelines that they have established to vet institutions of higher learning, they will be able to achieve compliance among all institutions.
Recently, the university was re-accredited by the Nursing Council of Kenya to continue training nursing students.
This comes even as over 80 nursing graduates from the university have secured opportunities to work abroad in the health care sector following a partnership between the institution and other universities in Germany and Austria.
Among the institutions that the university has partnered with include Hochschule Koblenz University of Applied Sciences in Germany and Lebenshilfe Tirol of Austria, enabling young Kenyans trained in healthcare get paid apprenticeships and jobs in the two countries.
By Muoki Charles