The Aga Khan University Hospital's faculty of health sciences was inaugurated in Nairobi yesterday.
It is the first of a series of projects, aimed at developing the region, to be initiated by the Aga Khan during his visit to East Africa as part of the Golden Jubilee celebrations as the spiritual leader of Ismaili Muslims.
The project makes Aga Khan University the first private university in eastern Africa to have a fully-fledged faculty of health sciences offering under-graduate and post-graduate degrees in medicine, nursing and allied health sciences.
It is part of a $250 million (Sh17.5 billion) investment at the institution, spanning a period of 15 years, and will host some 1,000 students and 175 faculty members once completed.
The Aga Khan said the new facilities, including a teaching hospital of 500 beds, will eventually occupy some 80,000 square metres and employ over 4,000 people.
He added that the launch of the faculty will also include construction of a new Heart and Cancer Centre to aid in teaching, research and treatment of chronic diseases.
The construction of the ultra-modern centre is expected to commence next month and will cost upwards of $40 million (Sh2.8 billion).
The Aga Khan said the central challenge of the new faculty will be to address the crucial health care priorities of the East African population and those living in other parts of sub-Saharan Africa.
"The new faculty of health sciences will educate future generations of professional leaders in the evidence-based practice of medicine," he added at a function held at the Aga Khan University Hospital in Nairobi.
Education Minister Prof George Saitoti represented the government at the ceremony which was also attended by professionals from the public and private sectors.
Prof Saitoti, who welcomed the Aga Khan, said the university had come at a time, when the Ministry of Education was involved in efforts aimed at increasing access to university education.
He said public universities were able to absorb about 10,000 students each year representing 20 to 26 per cent of the candidates attaining a mean grade of C+ and above.
The low admission was as a result of the limited infrastructure to accommodate more students, the minister said.
He paid tribute to the hospital for transforming itself into a premier teaching and tertiary care referral institution in the two years.
The Aga Khan urged African countries to learn from the successes of the American higher education system which, he said, had a highly diversified base, seeking support from both state and private sectors.
"I believe that the developing countries of Asia and Africa will likewise be well-served by encouraging private, self-governing institutions to develop side by side with those which were supported by the public sector," The Aga Khan said.
Though health care had become expensive worldwide Aga Khan hospitals in Kenya and those in India, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Tanzania, operated on a non-profit basis, he said. The Aga Khan commended the Ministry of Health's efforts in formulating a national health strategic plan adding that consultations should involve all groups, including the private sector.
The Aga Khan will today visit Mombasa to launch the construction of the residential campus of the Aga Khan Academy and also celebrate the 25 years of the Madrasa Pre-School Programme that has helped transform education in Coast Province.
Others present at the function yesterday were: the President of Aga Khan University Firoz Rasul, Chief Executive Officer of Aga Khan University Hospital Asmita Gillani, President of the Aga Khan Council of Kenya Zul Abdul and the Aga Khan Development Network resident representative Aziz Bhaloo, among others.
Later, the Aga Khan held talks with President Kibaki at State House. Mr Kibaki praised the important role played by the Aga Khan Development Network in transforming the lives of millions of people in the country.
The Aga Khan said Kenya had achieved tremendous development strides due to an enabling environment existing in country.