The Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) has approved $32.20 million in funding to support the establishment of the School of Medicine and Allied Health Sciences (SMAHS) at the University of The Gambia’s Faraba Banta Campus, according to a statement released by the Ministry of Higher Education, Research, Science, and Technology.
The SMAHS project, which intends to improve medical education and healthcare training in the nation, was approved to begin at the 361st meeting of the IsDB Board of Executive Directors.
In order to raise the standard, accessibility, and sustainability of healthcare education and service delivery throughout The Gambia, the project aims to build a modern, fully furnished medical school. By increasing access to high-quality medical education, hiring more locally trained physicians, nurses, and allied health professionals, and bolstering research and public health capacities, it aims to address the nation’s acute shortage of healthcare professionals.
The ministry expressed the IsDB’s confidence in the project’s ability to significantly contribute to the development of a strong pipeline of health professionals, which will improve the resilience and caliber of The Gambia’s national health system, in an official press release.
In its press release, the ministry stated, “The IsDB is hopeful that the initiative will help the Gambia address the country’s severe shortage of healthcare professionals by creating a pipeline of locally trained physicians, nurses, and public health experts, ultimately improving the quality and resilience of the national health system.”
The construction of five academic buildings with shared facilities, construction and equipment installation supervision, the provision of sixteen cutting-edge medical and laboratory devices and telemedicine technology, and faculty and academic development initiatives, including curriculum enhancements and international training opportunities, make up the project’s four main components.
The Islamic Development Bank’s ongoing support of the Government’s National Development Plan, especially in furthering The Gambia’s Higher Education Transformation Agenda, was acknowledged with heartfelt appreciation by the ministry. The ministry reiterated its dedication to using higher education as a tactical engine for the nation’s economic growth.
