The graduation ceremony of eleven students who were studying medicine at the University of The Gambia (UTG), on Friday 10 November 2006 took place at the Royal Victoria Teaching Hospital in Banjul.
Twenty-five students started the course and eleven of them graduated including a single female student.
The graduating students were granted accreditation by the medical and dental unit of the faculty.
Speaking on the occasion, The Vice Chancellor of the UTG, Professor Andreas Steigen said that it is a day to remember that the resources obtained by the students should be used wisely in order to help the nation, community and their neighbourhood as well.
The Vice President, Madam Dr Aja Isatou Njie-Saidy who deputised for President Jammeh, said it is historic occasion in that Gambians have the first home grown Gambian doctors which is necessary in order to have efficient and reliable health facilities.
Another speaker Dr Nyan, the Provost of the Medical School said that they needed funds for their kitchens, libraries and a lodging place for medical students to minimise lateness.
The third speaker, Dr Sillah advised the students to be intellectually curious, to have tolerance for ambiguities, to involved in experiments, to learn by doing, have an appreciation for failures and mistakes, adopt systematic methods of data collection and to set-goals.
Also speaking at the occasion, the SoS for Health, Dr Tamsir Mbowe said, “Today marks another episode in a series of achievements in nation-building, under the enlightened and visionary leadership of His Excellency Our Leader Doctor Alhagie Yahya A.J.J. Jammeh”.
He added that human resource development constitutes a key component of health services delivery and that their overall objective is to provide a pool of technically competent Gambians, who are suitably trained, socially and medically, to respond to prevailing health needs of Gambians.
The vote of thanks was delivered by one of the graduating students, Ousman Sanyang who on behalf of his colleagues expressed appreciation for the provision of a medical school in The Gambia.
The ceremony was attended by students, parents, national assembly members, and invited guests.