Kampala — Islamic University in Uganda is set to start a medical school at its Kampala campus in Kibuli, a city suburb.

The school which is expected to open its doors to pioneer students in August this year will start with a Diploma in Comprehensive Nursing before launching a Bachelors Degree in Science in Nursing next year.

Dr Ahmed Ssengendo, the University Rector said more programmes including the Post-graduate Diploma in Public Health and Bachelors of Medicine will be rolled out in the 2012/2013 and 2013 /2014 academic years respectively.

"We had planned to start those courses in the 2007/08 academic year but due to logistical problems they never took off on time," he said while speaking to journalists in Kampala last week.

However, he said the new courses will start after receiving clearance from the Uganda Nurses and Midwives Council and the National Council for Higher Education.

"We want to finish up with this process (getting accreditation) and thereafter we shall launch the courses with no difficulty," he added.

He said the school will in the initial stage use Kibuli Muslim Hospital and Mbale referral hospital as its teaching grounds.

"We hope to collaborate with both hospitals as we also work on expanding our health centre at the main campus into a fully-fledged teaching health unit,' he said

Dr Ssengendo said the Islamic Development Bank had already approved a grant of $350,000 (about Shs700million) to construct a new hostel at the female campus at Kabojja to accommodate the 300 new females students expected to enroll in August this year.

"We therefore urgently need assistance of $250,000(shs 500million) to ensure that this project is completed on time as planned," he said.

Established in 1988 the university currently has a student's population of 6,282 of which 3,779 are males and 2,503 females. Meanwhile, government has appointed Butambala County MP Kaddunabi Lubega and Yumbe woman MP Huda Oleru as its new representatives on university council replacing Gen.Moses Ali and Hajj Yunus Mpagi who retired last year.