According to the Ministry of Higher Education, Research, Science, and Technology, at the 361st meeting of the IsDB held recently, the Board of Executive Directors approved US$32.20 Million for The Gambia to help fund the establishment of the “School of Medicine and Allied Health Sciences (SMAHS)” at the UTG Faraba Banta Campus.
The project’s development objective aims to establish a modern and well-equipped School of Medicine and Allied Health Sciences, thereby improving the quality, accessibility, and sustainability of healthcare training and service delivery in the country.
The project also aims to address The Gambia's acute healthcare workforce shortage by expanding access to high-quality medical education, increasing the number of locally trained health professionals, and enhancing research and public health capacity.
The project comprises Component 1, which includes civil works of five schools with shared facilities; Component 2 entails supervision of work and equipment installation; Component 3 consists of sixteen advanced medical and laboratory equipment and telemedicine technology, and Component 4 covers academic and faculty development, including curriculum enhancement and international training.
The IsDB however expressed optimism that the initiative would support The Gambia to address the country’s critical shortage of healthcare professionals by building a pipeline of locally trained doctors, nurses, and public health experts, ultimately improving the quality and resilience of the national health system.
“With these strategic projects, under the leadership of President Adama Barrow, the Ministry of Higher Education, Research, Science, and Technology (MoHERST) has shown its commitment to using Higher Education as a tool for economic transformation of The Gambia,” the ministry stated.
Further, the ministry applauds the IsDB for its continued support to the Government’s National Development Plan, especially to The Gambia’s Higher Education Transformation Agenda.
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