The Technical University of Mombasa (TUM) has officially launched the School of Medicine and Health Sciences, the first medical school in the Coast region, in what leaders described as a historic milestone for education and healthcare in Kenya.
Mombasa Governor Abdulswamad Sheriff Nassir hailed the launch as a breakthrough for the people of Mombasa, pledging the county government’s support through scholarships and training opportunities.
“A historic day for Mombasa! We launched the School of Medicine and Health Sciences at TUM, opening doors for our youth and the future of healthcare. Each sub-county will have two top students on full scholarship, who will remain to serve our people,” said Nassir.
He confirmed that the county has already sponsored 12 pioneer students and stressed that the selection was based purely on merit.
“We did not look at the color of skin, tribe, religion or gender,” he said, urging the beneficiaries to “pay this forward to the people of Mombasa in the years to come.”
Meanwhile, Deputy Governor Francis Thoya called for stronger collaboration between the county and the university beyond the medical field.
“We need to open more doors of opportunity for our youth in engineering, data science, and other faculties. The only way to do that is to explore more partnerships,” Thoya said.
Professor Marleen Temmerman, representing Ghent University of Belgium, traced the journey of establishing the school, from curriculum development to securing approvals from the Commission for University Education.
She emphasized that the program is designed to be patient-centered, problem-solving, and community-oriented, with students expected to gain experience both in hospitals and within community health facilities.
“This year, the first 60 students began their six-year journey to become doctors, 12 of them supported by the governor’s scholarship. The curriculum ensures that graduates will be skilled, community-engaged medics ready to serve the county and the country,” said Temmerman.
She also highlighted the renewed partnership between Ghent University, TUM, and the Coast General Teaching and Referral Hospital, which will support training, research, and exchange programs.
TUM Vice Chancellor Prof. Laila Abubakar acknowledged the Government of Kenya for providing sh.266 million for the construction of the medical school and sh.35 million for ventilation and refrigeration facilities.
She noted that the county has availed all its health facilities, from level one to level five, for student training, with staff at Coast General set to support clinical teaching.
Prof. Abubakar added that TUM’s strong tradition of innovation would make its medical school unique, combining medicine with biomedical engineering, data science, and emerging technologies.
The event, held at the university, brought together Governor Abdulswamad Sheriff Nassir, Deputy Governor Francis Thoya, representatives from Ghent University in Belgium, national government officials, county leaders, and other stakeholders in the health and education sectors.
