On Thursday 18th January 2007, 19 graduands of the University of Westminster Diploma in Biomedical Sciences by Distance Learning mounted the podium to receive their awards at MRC Fajara. Recipients of the Diploma included staff of the Royal Victoria Teaching Hospital, Banjul, the NGO - BAFROW and the JOBOT laboratory, situated on Kairaba Avenue. ''
They were joined by the first group of recipients of the MRC Certificate in Biomedical Sciences. Guests at the award ceremony included the Hon Secretary of State for Health and Social Welfare, Alh Dr Tamsir Mbowe, represented by Alh Omar Taal, Deputy Permanent Secretary and the Hon Secretary of State for Education, Ms Fatou Lamin Faye, represented by Mr Baboucarr Buoy, Permanent Secretary. Also in attendance were Professor Ousman Nyan, Provost, University of The Gambia School of Medicine and Dr Andreas Schoenfeld, Acting Director, ITC.

For several years the MRC has demonstrated its commitment to developing its laboratory staff, and a biomedical sciences professional development pathway has been evolved to ensure that staff have the opportunity to receive cost effective, appropriate training aimed at supporting the production of world class science. Mrs Christine Croombes, Head of Staff Development and Training, commented, some two years ago, The Commission for Africa Report spoke of how strengthening science capacity, amongst other things, is imperative in Africa. The MRC is determined that it plays its part in making this happen in West Africa and, most definitely here in The Gambia. And this is no more true than in our training strategy, where growing scientists to compete in the international arena of science is our overarching and guiding principle.

MRC’s vision is to develop a school leaver into a leader in their field via a credible route that achieves both the organisation’s and the individual’s goals. The successful MRC-University of Westminster Diploma in Biomedical Sciences, which was established in 2000, is one component of the pathway and has now seen three intakes of students complete their studies, a total number of 48 students in all.

The diploma course, which is part time and runs for two years, was developed in collaboration with Dr Martin Parry of the University of Westminster (UK), Mr Malcolm Guy, the former MRC Scientific Administrator and Mr Ignatius Baldeh, Laboratory Manager. At present, the course is coordinated by Mr Gibril Bah, Head of Haematology and Scientific Officer, in collaboration with Mrs Christine Croombes.

Six modules are offered on the Diploma course: introduction to biomedical science; introductory microbiology; introduction to immunology; medical microbiology; laboratory haematology; laboratory management and safety. The course is organised on a tutorial system, supported mainly by senior scientific staff of the MRC, which affords the work based tutors the opportunity to develop their teaching and mentoring skills.

Following on from the success of the Diploma course, the MRC Certificate of Biomedical Science was established in 2005 to provide a firm foundation for diploma level studies and beyond. This in-house course is aimed at ensuring that all laboratory assistants have a sound basic level of theoretical and practical knowledge and draws on the MRC’s experience in delivering the Diploma course.

The MRC has also worked towards establishing a growing number of opportunities for further study on completion of the Diploma course, including a distance-learning BSc through the University of South Africa and a number of fast-track BSc scholarships for the most promising young Gambians.

This year, a prize was awarded to the best graduand from the Diploma course, Mrs Tisbeh Faye-Joof, who has also achieved the best marks since the inception of the course. In his congratulatory message to all the graduands, Mr Gibril Bah, who is also the course Work Based Tutor Coordinator commented ‘… Even when qualified, you must continue to keep abreast of modern developments and trends by regular reading of appropriate journals and by attending seminars and discussion groups. Fortunately there are plenty of opportunities to undertake both of these activities at the MRC. I urge you all to continue finding time in your busy schedules and make full use of these facilities.’

Asked to comment on the MRC’s professional development strategy for its staff, Professor Tumani Corrah, Unit Director stated: ‘We aim to identify and develop a critical mass of Gambians around whom our science can be built, to serve as a platform for the development of independent African scientists and researchers from the West African Sub-Region and the rest of Africa and to provide an enabling environment to contribute to the training and development of specialists and scientists in Tropical and Infectious Diseases from Britain and the rest of the world.