The National Assembly has ratified a $37.5 million financing agreement between the and the Government of The Gambia to support Phase III of the University of The Gambia School of Medicine and Allied Health Sciences Project.
Lawmakers approved the agreement on Tuesday, 30 June 2026, following the presentation of a motion by the Minister of Finance and Economic Affairs, Seedy Keita.
Presenting the motion, Minister Keita said the project aims to strengthen The Gambia's health sector by expanding the country's capacity to train health professionals.
"The overarching objective of the project is to strengthen the country's health sector by building the capacity and improving the quality of medical education and training systems," he told lawmakers.
Keep up with the latest headlines on WhatsApp | LinkedIn
He said the project is aligned with the government's Recovery-Focused National Development Plan (2023-2027), which prioritises investment in education, knowledge and skills development.
According to the minister, the Ministry of Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology, working with the Ministry of Finance and with support from the Islamic Development Bank, is implementing the project to establish and expand the School of Medicine and Allied Health Sciences.
He said while the Faraba Banta Campus has helped increase access to higher education, there is still a need to expand facilities dedicated to medical and allied health training.
"The Gambia has a young population and its people are the main resources, necessitating the need to invest in their well-being and the development for economic transformation," he said.
Minister Keita said the expanded school will increase the number of trained health professionals and strengthen the country's health system by introducing advanced medical technologies, including telemedicine.
The financing package totals $37.5 million and includes: $14 million concessional loan (Qard Hassan); $18 million instalment sale financing; $4.4 million grant, including $4 million from the King Abdullah Ibn Abdulaziz International Foundation for Humanitarian Works; and $400,000 grant from the Islamic Development Bank.
The minister told lawmakers that the financing package has a 44.91 per cent grant element, which exceeds the 35 per cent threshold required under the country's IMF borrowing guidelines.
He added that the Government of The Gambia will contribute $1.1 million as counterpart funding for the project.
Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters
Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox
According to Minister Keita, the project is intended to address the country's shortage of qualified health professionals by expanding the School of Medicine and Allied Health Sciences.
He said the project will increase the institution's student capacity from 3,000 to 6,600, while providing modern teaching, research and clinical training facilities that meet international standards.
The project will also introduce new academic programmes in pharmacology, radiology, biomedical sciences and physiotherapy, while strengthening existing programmes in medicine, nursing and public health.
"It is envisaged that the passing of this bill will enable the effectiveness and disbursement conditions for the financing to kick-start," the minister said.
During the debate, the Member for Lower Saloum, Sainey Jawara, moved a motion to suspend debate on the agreement. The motion was seconded by the Member for Banjul South, Fatoumatta Njai. Following the suspension of debate, the financing agreement was put before the Assembly and ratified by lawmakers.
