MKU has rolled out a good number of community outreach programmes with resounding success. To start with, in Bungoma county, the university is raising the capacity of hospitals (under the county government) to incubate neonates (babies under twenty eight days old). Bungoma has one of the highest neonatal mortality rates in the country. The programme has been funded by United Kingdom’s Department for International Development (DFID) to the tune of Kshs.40 million. In total, nine new born units (incubators) have been built in different health facilities in the county including Bungoma, Webuye and Sirisia. These units are now able to incubate about one hundred neonates as opposed to the previous low average of ten to twenty. “This flagship programme will be officially launched in July and we are very proud of its positive impact on the residents of Bungoma County,” observes Professor Muregi.

Its roll out is being overseen by Dr. Jesse Gitaka, MKU’s head of human health research programme. In the same regard, the university is undertaking a programme to control malaria and infectious diseases in the Lake Victoria islands. Championed also by Dr. Gitaka, the programme includes a campaign to deworm children in these islands so as to boost their health. “Good health is a fundamental requirement of all human beings and we are indeed very proud of how we are touching the lives of low income households and children by undertaking the programmes above,” Professor Muregi avers.