FHS Associate Dean Postgraduate Research and Training Prof. Evelyn Wagaiyu with Wondfo Biotech Senior Vice President Mr. Zaping Xha, Vice President Mr. Wenjie Xu, Global Technical Director Mr. Leo Xu, Dr. Parmenas Okemwa and Dr. Francis Wanyama from FHS posing for a picture after signing the MoU.
In a move to advance training and research, the University of Nairobi and Wondfo Biotech have renewed their MoU and strategic partnership.
This follows a previous consultative meeting between FHS Dean, Prof. Daniel Ojuka with officials from Wondfo Biotech to review the successful collaboration between the two institutions and discuss its renewal.
The renewal of the agreement followed a meeting by a delegation from the biotech company, FHS faculty and technical staff and students undertaking pathology and laboratory rotations. The discussion encompassed commitments by Wondfo to continue supporting undergraduate and postgraduate research, student and staff training and future symbiotic collaborations.
FHS Associate Dean Postgraduate Research and Training, Prof. Evelyn Wagaiyu welcomed the continuation of this transformative collaboration and reiterated the faculty’s commitment in supporting partnerships to enhance research and training within the institution and impact communities. She underscored the need to exploit the advantages of this collaboration within and without, especially to address the health disparity in Kenya.
“We need to collaborate in knowledge exchange and training other than exchange programs. We need to increase the number of specialties going into rural areas. We have a disparity in medical treatment,” she said.
The collaboration also highlighted the faculty’s bid to the biotech company to invest in research in infectious diseases.
Feedback from the university's technical staff and students was central to the discussions. They expressed enthusiasm for the advanced equipment and the opportunities it presents for research and professional development.
Key requests included access to reagents to fully utilize the available machines for training and external patient testing, which could also serve as an income-generating activity for the university.
The student and staff exchange to China which was also a key request from the faculty to enhance international exposure was welcomed by the delegation from Wondfo who reaffirmed their commitment to fostering knowledge transfer and international collaboration. The however, emphasized the importance for the ones who will get the opportunity to take full advantage of it and bring back that knowledge back to enhance services within Kenya to avoid brain drain.
“You are your country’s future, go and learn and bring that expertise to Kenya, if you don’t think about your country’s future no one will,” said Wondfo Biotech’s Global Technical Director Mr. Leo Xu.
Wondfo Biotech was represented by their Senior Vice President Mr. Zaping Xha, Vice President Mr. Wenjie Xu, Global Technical Director Mr. Leo Xu and the Wondfo East African Director Mr. Bear Xiong. UoN was represented by Associate Dean Postgraduate Research and Training Prof. Evelyn Wagaiyu and other attendees were Dr. Parmenas Okemwa and Dr. Francis Wanyama.
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