The Medical Laboratory Technicians and Technologists Board (KMLTTB) visited the Commission for University Education on Wednesday, 1st October 2019 to seek a partnership that will allow both regulatory agencies to work closely in streamlining Medical laboratory Science courses offered at varsities across the country. At a meeting chaired by the Secretary/Chief Executive Officer Prof. Mwenda Ntarangwi, the team from KMLTTB shared details of their work and how it intersects with that of the Commission.

Speaking during the meeting, Prof. Ntarangwi, expressed the need to have the two agencies work together to ensure that universities comply with the laid down standards and regulations that guide the training of medical laboratory technicians. The KMLTTB team was led by the Board’s Registrar Abdulalif Ali who shared a report on the current status of Medical Laboratory Science training programs offered at a number of universities in Kenya.

The report was based on inspections of some 13 universities in Kenya that offer training of Medical Laboratory Sciences at degree and diploma levels. The report was prepared after a study to ascertain whether the universities have complied with the set standards and regulations.

Commission Secretary/ Chief Executive Officer Prof. Mwenda Ntarangwi (centre) addresses a team from the Kenya Medical Laboratory Technicians and Technologists Board during a consultative meeting to harmonize accreditation of Medical Laboratory Sciences offered at various universities in Kenya.

The Universities inspected were: University of Nairobi, Technical University of Mombasa, Moi University, Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology, Kenyatta University, Kisii University, Kenya Methodist University, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, Maseno University, Technical University of Kenya, Mount Kenya University, University of Eastern Africa Baraton and Alupe University College. The team shared its recommendations for each of the universities listed. Some of the recommendations given to specified universities were as follows:

•    Abolish training of Diploma course in Medical Laboratory Science due to inadequate resources;
•    To discontinue Medical Laboratory Science programme and transfer students to approved programmes;
•    To stop further admission of students into Medical Laboratory Science programme until compliance is attained. 

“This is actually a continuation of our meeting to collaborate and partner in work to be able to achieve what is required of the two regulators and to harmonize academic courses” Mr. Ali said.