By Bright Malenga
Islamic University in Uganda (IUIU) has graduated the first batch of medical doctors from its Habib Medical School based at Kampala campus. The Academic Registrar, Dr Halima Wakabi Akbar says the pioneer medical doctors are dedicated to work professionally and help to alleviate the high doctor -patients’ ratio that is still alarming.
“Habib Medical School started in 2014 and now we are graduating our first batch of medical doctors who have completed Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBChB) because the medical school also offers other health programs.”
“We are graduating 33 medical doctors and statistics of doctor- patients in Uganda and even beyond is very high in terms of very few doctors that are helping very many patients. Whatever small significant number that we put on the market is significant,” said Dr Akbar.
According to the Academic Registrar, the medical doctors are unique because they are trained to be community oriented.
“Our medical doctors are community based. Their training has been to respond to the needs and the problems in the community. So we are very happy that we are partners with the government in ensuring that Uganda and the region and beyond have the workforce that is very essential.”
“The medical doctors have already been allocated by the Ministry of Health. They are already out there helping people because they do have a one year internship with government where they are sent to various hospitals,” she added.
Dr Akbar said that the medical doctors have also been trained by foreign experts in medicine and surgery shaping them into complete professionals.
“We have University of Lahore from Pakistan. We have Doctors Worldwide who are based in Turkey. We have had professors coming from Sudan and they have had a lot of experience which they have put in our program especially making the doctors community oriented.”
Apart from Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery, Habib Medical School has also introduced Bachelor of Nursing Sciences and Bachelor of Biomedical Sciences in 2018/2020 academic year. IUIU also offers health programs namely; Certificate in General Nursing, Certificate in Midwifery, Diploma in Midwifery , Diploma in General Nursing, Diploma in Midwifery (Extension) and Diploma in General Nursing (Extension) at the Main Campus in Mbale.
