Kenyatta University Students Demand Ownership of Teaching Hospital in the Recent Protest
Kenyatta University Students Demand Ownership of Teaching Hospital in the Recent Protest. On Sunday, April 30, Kenyatta institution students protested in the streets to demand that the Kenyan government give the institution control over the ownership and operation of the Kenyatta University Teaching, Referral & Research Hospital (KUTTRH).
The students claimed that even though the hospital had a name that was similar to their university, they had not been given permission to use its resources for educational reasons. The pupils also complained about having to travel 15 kilometers to Kiambu Referral Hospital for care, despite the fact that KUTTRH is nearby.
They gave the government a two-week deadline to hand over control of the hospital to Kenyatta University or risk unspecified repercussions.
Due to a lack of chances, the students voiced fear that the education of more than 2,000 medical students at the university would be halted. They asked the administration, the vice chancellor, and professor.
KUTTRH must be surrendered and unconditionally given over to Kenyatta University by Paul Wainaina and the KU management board. Some of the protesting students demanded that the hospital’s name be changed if the government was unable to provide them with the hospital.
Additionally, the students pointed out that there were no formal channels for informing them of internship and employment opportunities at the hospital that they could take advantage of. They said that they were not even permitted to complete their medical electives at the hospital as medical students.
The students lamented the hospital happenings and believed they had missed their chance to take advantage of the top-notch research prospects that Kenyatta University was recognized for.
Separating the hospital from the university in a gazette notice published in January 2019, the Kenyan President designated it as a parastatal under the Ministry of Health. With this change, KUTTRH, a parastatal, was no longer required to provide full access to faculty, staff, and students at the university.