Dr Tamsir Mbowe, Secretary of State for Health and Social Welfare, yesterday, received in his office Professor John H Meyer from the Department of Psychology at the Norwich University in Northfield, Vermon, United States. Prof Meyer, who was a peace corps volunteer in Basse in 1967, arrived in the country last week with nursing students to explore the implementation of the Independent International Service Learning Project in the country.

This project seeks to introduce Norwich nursing students to the health care system of The Gambia. Under this programme, students will meet with health care educators at the RVTH and at various rural health care centres. It also focuses on trans-cultural experience, learning experiences, sustainability of the project, integration of experience to service learning at Norwich University, and university integration.

Dr ABS Taal, a political science lecturer at the University of The Gambia and Managing Director of the Daily Observer, accompanied Prof Meyer to the State Department.

Receiving the guest, Dr Tamsir Mbowe, Secretary of State for Health and Social Welfare, welcomed the initiative which values mental health as a key priority. Secretary of State Mbowe told Prof Meyer that his department already has two mental health programmes with the World Health Organisation and the Tanka Tanka NGO, which plans to build a mental health clinic in Serrekunda. He referred the visiting guest to the head of the Mental Unit at the Central Medical Stores to furnish him with the information about the mental health programmes in the country and identify the gaps that need o be filled.

Briefing the Secretary of State about the project, Prof Meyer confirmed Norwich University’s intent to internationalise its campus to enable students to gain practical experience and to build the human resource capacity. He said the project was not designed to re-invent the wheel, saying “we want to fill the gaps”. He said the visit will focus on nursing and mental health, as well as rural health care. For his part, Dr ABS Taal stressed the importance of the programme towards enhancing the human resource base of the health facilities, as well as in augmenting the medical expertise at the University of The Gambia (UTG). He said through this programme, the Norwich University and UTG can exchange faculty, saying lecturers could be interested in the teaching experience in a developing country like The Gambia. Dr Taal affirmed that development theories cannot only be learned in the books, but in the field as well.

Dr Mariatou Jallow, Director of Health Services, lauded the initiative and acknowledged the need to establish links with Norwich University. Dr Jallow made these remarks during a courtesy call paid to her in her office.
She said the mortality rate in the developed world is low because of the presence of a pool of skilled attendants to the health needs of the people. She pointed out that through the exchange programme, the attrition rate could be reduced, as staff would me motivated through training, exchanges, and other arrangements. She added that this would advance efforts towards ameliorating the health care service and delivery system in the country.