Two medical students from The Gambia, Gibril Ndow and Joquina Chiquita Jones, spent the past two weeks in Swansea with graduate entry medical students at Swansea University.  Part of the wider link between the Swansea NHS Trust and the Royal Victoria Teaching Hospital in Banjul, The Gambia, the student link aims to provide a better understanding of global health to produce more culturally aware, well rounded doctors.

The two students spent the period going to lectures at the School of Medicine and attending placements at Singleton Hospital.  Both students found their clinical experiences in the hospital to be a highlight and commented on the use of technology: “First hand experience really sticks,” said Gibril Ndow, “It’s the first time I’ve had the opportunity to see laparoscopic surgery.”  They found the differing methods of teaching interesting, and postulated that in some ways the available technology both for teaching and for later use as doctors affects the way material is taught.  They also joined Swansea medical students in their social activities. “We enjoyed dining and socialising with the students,” said Chiquita Jones. “Our trip to the Gower and playing netball with the Swansea medics was fantastic!”

Swansea University’s School of Medicine and Swansea NHS Trust have joined forces with the Royal Victoria Teaching Hospital in Banjul and The Gambia’s School of Medicine in a major drive to work with developing countries.

The move is in response to the Crisp Report published in February 2007, welcomed by Prime Minister Tony Blair, which highlighted the mutual benefits of UK health-related organisations linking with developing countries.

The Crisp report was commissioned by Tony Blair who said that developing stronger global health partnerships linking hospitals, nursing schools, primary care and universities would allow UK expertise to make an even greater difference.

Although the Swansea-Gambia Link has only just been formally launched, students from both sides have already benefited from visiting their partner countries.

The next step will be the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding to ensure the Link develops successfully. Professor John MacDermot of THET International, (formerly known as the Tropical Health and Education Trust) has recently returned from The Gambia where he met with the Secretaries of State for Education and Health, who assured him of their enthusiastic support for the link. 

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