The government has announced plans to hire more lecturers at the Kenya Medical Training College (KMTC) in a bid to train more health workers across the country.
President William Ruto made the announcement on Wednesday while opening the new KMTC Gucha Campus in the Gusii region, where he was on a development tour.
Ruto said the move is meant to support the government’s plan to improve healthcare, noting that the country needs more trained professionals for the system to work well.
“For us to achieve Universal Health Coverage, we must have enough health workers, and that starts with having enough lecturers to train them,” he said.
The President pointed out that KMTC has already taken steps to increase staff. In 2025, about 600 new workers were hired following his earlier directive. He said the government will now set aside more funds in the next financial year to bring in even more lecturers.
Currently, KMTC has over 41,000 students spread across more than 70 campuses, offering dozens of medical courses. However, the number of lecturers and staff, which stands at just over 2,200, has not been enough to match the growing number of students.
This has led to worries about whether students receive adequate attention and training.
According to Ruto, the enhancement of institutions of training such as KMTC will be crucial in facilitating Universal Health Coverage due to the need for increased numbers of nurses, clinical officers and others in the field.
During the visit, the President also announced several development projects to improve learning conditions. These include building hostels at KMTC campuses in Nyamache and Nyamira to help ease congestion among students.
At the same time, new facilities are planned for Gucha Campus, including 12 classrooms and three laboratories to support learning.
The President also directed Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba to ensure KMTC students are included in the new national funding system for tertiary institutions starting next financial year. The move is expected to help students from needy backgrounds continue with their studies.
The government says the plans are aimed at building a stronger health workforce and improving access to healthcare services across the country.
