As part of efforts to improve the country’s health delivery system and bring quality health care to the door step of every Gambian, the Department of State for Health on Friday launched a Community Medical Doctors’ programme to train community doctors.

The programme is the result of a partnership agreement between the governments of the republic of Cuba and The Gambia. The programme, which is said to be the first of its kind in Africa, will seek to provide trainees from various communities the know-how to perform medical care at individual, family and environmental levels.

The programme is organized in a circle of twelve semesters that would last for six years, and the training is going to be conducted by Cuban professors.

In his launching statement, His Excellency the president, Dr. Alhagie Yahya Jammeh, who reportedly bore the cost of the capital input required for the commencement of the programme, said that the programme is expected to help the country realize its objectives and goals of Vision 2020 earlier than expected. Among the items the president provided were some 44 computers. He told the 45 prospective students that after their six-year course, they would remain in the communities and serve the people, noting that they are not trained for the benefit of Babylon. He added that anyone who did that would be dealt with.

The president used the occasion to thank Cuba for what he termed their service to humanity.

“Cuba has shown what democracy is and what respect for human rights is all about. Cuba, despite all the constraints, has continued to serve humanity around the world and that is democracy,” he said.

Other speakers included Dr. Tamsir Mbowe, Secy for Health, Mr. Carlos Salsa Mendi, Cuban Ambassador to The Gambia, and Dr. Adama Sallah, Chairman RVTH management board.