MKU becomes the first Kenyan institution to be accredited to train health records professionals

Mount Kenya University (MKU) is the first institution to be accredited to train health records professionals in the country after fulfilling all the requirements set by the Ministry of Health. 

The Director, Health Information Systems at the ministry, Mr. Gilbert Nzomo, says the training of Health Records officers has come a long way as, initially, it was even done outside the country. “Many institutions are now training the officers and there is need to ensure quality. It started as a certificate programme and at the moment we have PhD programmes in the country,” he added.

Speaking during the official presentation of certificate of accreditation to MKU,   the Chairman, Health Records and Information Mangers Board, Mr. Onesmus K. Mwaura, said MKU was first institution to be accredited after fulfilling all the requirements.  “As a board, we have embarked on streamlining the training of the health records and information officers in the country. One way of ensuring that all the institutions adhere to the set guidelines is through accreditation,” he said.

Mr. Mwaura said the Health Records and Information Managers Board (HRIM) is anchored in the HRIM Act No 15 of 2016 which became operational in 2022. “The act empowers the board to exercise regulatory and oversight roles on training institutions offering training in Health Records and Information courses,” he added.

MKU vice-chancellor Prof Deogratius Jaganyi, expressed gratitude to the Health Records and Information Managers Board (HRIMB) for the collaboration with his institution in the training of Health Records and Information Managers. “Universal access to quality health services and, in turn, improved health outcomes require not only more health professionals but also the quality and relevance of education in health professions,” he said.

Accordingly, plans are underway to the process of launching a Master of Health Information Management Program. “MKU values the strong collaborative relationship that we share with the HRIM Board and remains committed to upholding the highest standards of training Health Records and Information management managers,” he added.

MKU graduated its first Bachelor of Science in Health Records and Information Management graduates in December 2012. To date, the university has graduated 516 Bachelor of Science, 860 Diplomas and 383 certificates in   Health records and 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,” noted the VC.

Prof Jaganyi noted that the university remains committed to preparing the students to high quality professionals to serve as health care and quality managers at all levels of the healthcare ecosystem both locally and internationally. “Our programmes endeavour to expose our graduates to modern technology in the health records domain which ensures that they are capable of applying   technology in the improvement of patient care and outcomes,” he added.

Others who attended or were represented at the function were MKU’s Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Academic and Research Affairs, Dr. Mercyline Kamande; Registrar, Academic Administration, Dr. Ronald Maathai; Principal, College of Health Sciences, Dr. Josephat Njuguna; Dean, School of Clinical Medicine, Mr. Peter Mwaura, faculty members and students.

The news of the certification comes a few days after the university was re-accredited by the Nursing Council of Kenya to continue training nursing students. The Institution has been offering a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree for the last 12 years and has been subject to regular reviews by the nursing council to confirm that the university’s facilities, including laboratories, meet the set requirements.

The reviews undertaken every five years are a legal requirement for all institutions of higher learning training nursing students. The Registrar Nursing Council of Kenya Dr. Lister Onsongo presented the re-accreditation certificate to the MKU Vice-Chancellor Prof. Deogratius Jaganyi.

The re-accreditation followed a review process, during which the Nursing Council of Kenya inspected the university and affiliated hospitals last year. “MKU was granted approval to train nursing students in 2012 and the first re-accreditation was conducted in 2017 and this is the second re-accreditation. Since 2012, the nursing programme has produced over 1,400 qualified nurses who are making significant impact in healthcare both locally and internationally,” Prof. Jaganyi said.

MKU secures opportunities for healthcare graduates locally and abroad through partnerships with German and Austrian institutions to provide graduates with jobs in healthcare industries in the two European markets.  Already, more than 80 MKU trained nursing graduates have started work in the two countries with the first cohort of 40 leaving the country in April last year while another cohort left in September.

Among the institutions that MKU 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.