KU, KUTRRH end six-year standoff with new training deal

The agreement clears the way for KU medical students, lecturers and trainee health workers to fully utilise KUTRRH’s facilities, six years after the hospital opened its doors in 2019.

For years, tensions between the two institutions had stalled collaboration, leaving students without access to the state-of-the-art teaching and referral hospital intended to support medical training. The newly signed MoU now marks a turning point, formally restoring cooperation.

Speaking during the signing ceremony at KUTRRH, KU Vice-Chancellor Prof. Paul Wainaina termed the agreement a historic milestone, downplaying the prolonged disagreement as early operational challenges.

“There has been no bad blood between the university and the hospital. We have only had teething problems, which are now resolved. The question of ownership is no longer relevant,” Prof. Wainaina said.

The Vice-Chancellor, who is set to retire next year after eight years at the helm, said the agreement ends a long-standing stalemate and will significantly improve training outcomes. He noted that trainee doctors, nurses and medical lecturers from KU will now enjoy unrestricted access to the hospital’s facilities for hands-on learning.

KUTRRH Chief Executive Officer Dr. Zainab Gura said collaboration between the two institutions had already begun earlier this year. She revealed that 200 KU medical students were admitted to the hospital’s training wing in August, with more expected as the partnership takes full effect.