Master of Medicine in Family Health
Introduction
Family Health is the discipline in the health care system providing continuous, comprehensive and coordinated care for individuals, families and communities. Family Health care integrates physiologic, socio-economic, cultural and spiritual parameters and is not limited by age, gender and organ system or disease entity.
The World Health Organization has identified the following barriers to equitable health care: unequal access to prevention and care, inefficient health care systems, rising costs, inappropriate emphasis on specialty rather than generalist training and maldistribution of the physician work force. The WHO acknowledges the Family Health practitioner as the physician most capable of overcoming these barriers.
The Schwartz report of 1995 documents similar issues in Kenya’s health care system. The report states that 80-90% of the population of Kenya has very limited resources to pay for health care. Schwartz recommends training accessible health care personnel for the rural poor who are able to provide low cost, preventive and curative care for the most prevalent diseases. These personnel need good patient communication and education skills in order to improve health promotion and disease prevention. The report further states that personnel should be trained in the collection and use of demographic and clinical research data that would encourage a more evidence-based, cost-effective medical practice in East Africa.
In line with the mission of the Moi University Faculty of Health Sciences, this programme will produce graduates who have improved their knowledge, practical and intellectual skills from M.B.Ch.B. holders so that they expertly fulfil their envisioned role to expertly manage most all conditions at the patient’s closest contact with the formal health care system. Family Health practitioners combine knowledge and skills from various specialities with a unique set of generalist skills to give personalised, up-to-date, accessible, quality and cost-effective care within a constantly changing environment.
Award of Degree
The Master of Medicine in Family Health (M. Med. in F.H.) degree shall be awarded to that candidate who successfully completes the programme as outlined in this curriculum.
