NAIROBI, Kenya Mar 11 – The Surgery Residency Programme at Aga Khan University (AKU) Medical College, East Africa, has become the first in Kenya and the wider region to receive accreditation from the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education International (ACGME-I).
The ACGME-I sets internationally recognised standards for postgraduate medical training, requiring structured supervision, detailed case tracking, patient safety systems, and independent periodic review.
For trainees, this means surgeons are now educated and assessed against global benchmarks, improving the quality, consistency, and safety of surgical care.
Kenya faces a critical shortage of specialist surgeons. Data from the Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Council (KMPDC) show that as of 2021, only 581 licensed surgeons serve a population of roughly 50 million equivalent to one surgeon for every 100,000 people.
International guidelines, including those from the Lancet Commission on Global Surgery (2015) and the World Health Organization, recommend at least 20 specialist surgical providers per 100,000 people.
The shortage is most acute outside major urban centers. A 2018 assessment of Level 4 hospitals, which serve as primary referral facilities for rural counties, found just 106 general surgeons nationwide.
The deficit affects patients through delayed surgeries, long referral chains, and overstretched facilities, especially for emergency trauma, cancer care, and complicated childbirth. Across East Africa, unsafe procedures by unqualified practitioners have heightened the urgency for robust surgical training and oversight.
“AKU remains committed to delivering world-class medical education,” said Professor Lukoye Atwoli, Dean of AKU Medical College, East Africa.
“With this accreditation, all our Master of Medicine Residency programmes are now accredited with the ACGME-I, a testament to the quality of our programmes and the expertise of our faculty, staff, and students.”
Since its inception, the programme has graduated 39 surgeons and currently trains 19 residents, with plans to expand enrollment in the coming years. Regional data indicate that 85–93 percent of specialist surgical graduates remain in their home countries or within East and Central Africa, demonstrating that building local training capacity directly strengthens regional healthcare systems.
The ACGME-I accreditation also positions East Africa as an emerging hub for specialist medical education. AKU’s regional campuses and partnerships show that globally benchmarked surgical training can be delivered within Africa, reducing reliance on overseas certification while developing sustainable expertise at home.
“This accreditation underscores our commitment to developing highly skilled, globally competitive surgeons who can meet the evolving needs of our region,” said Dr Abdulkarim Abdallah, Chair of Surgery at AKU.
Expanding high-quality specialist training is a crucial step toward safer, more accessible surgery for patients across East Africa.
Established in 2004, Aga Khan University Medical College, East Africa, provides high-quality education for health professionals, aiming to develop specialists who positively impact patients and communities.
The college focuses on unique training programmes, strong research, best practices in healthcare delivery, and strategic regional and global partnerships.
