Master of Medicine in Child Health and Pediatrics
Introduction
Moi University came into existence in 1984 with the mission of producing practical graduates and in 1989, the Faculty of Health Sciences (F.H.S) was started under this mission In addition the concept of community orientation was added for the programmes in this faculty as part of the Student Centred Problem Based Integrated Community Based Electives Systematic (SPICES) model of education that was adopted. This model, also emphasizes active integrated learning and problem solving. The F.H.S also embodies the concept of multi-professional training, and is already training Environmental Health Professionals and Nurses at B.Sc. degree level. This is important because the modern approach to provision of health services emphasizes health promotion and prevention of ill health in addition to curative services.
The various aspects of the innovative medical model of education also provide avenues for training in effective communication and in imparting of caring and humane attitudes in health care. This model of medical education enables the graduates to become independent seekers of information.
In the modern scientific world, research has taken centre stage. All F.H.S undergraduate programmes have therefore incorporated courses enabling the students to train in research methodologies and skills. This will be applied to the students that shall undergo the training based on this postgraduate curriculum.
The discipline of Child Health and Pediatrics provides health services to children. In Kenya, as in most other developing countries, currently as many as 50% of the population are under 15 years of age, 20% are aged less than 5 years and 5% are up to one year of age. Moreover, the morbidity and mortality rates of the children under the age of five years are higher than those for people in other age groups within the Kenyan Community. They are also higher than those of children of the same age groups in industrialized countries.
Of note is the fact that a large fraction of the health problems of children is made up of preventable infectious diseases. Following the 1978 Alma Atta declaration, the practice of pediatrics dramatically shifted emphasis from curative to preventive approach, an approach that has been adopted by the F.H.S.
This shift in emphasis requires increased numbers of personnel with specialised training in child health and paediatrics. In this regard the department of child health and paediatrics has developed a postgraduate curriculum to train high level manpower to meet this demand.
