Invest your time, medical experience or health care expertise with The Rotary Club of Fajara in The Gambia, West Africa.


The health facility coverage in The Gambia is among the best in Africa and more than 80% of the population have access to health facilities however these facilities often are not sufficiently staffed, funded or equipped.

The Gambia still has a high maternal mortality rate (730/100,000 live births). This has however decreased over the years.

Government Hospitals and Clinics in The Gambia

Gambia’s Healthcare infrastructure consists of diverse facilities and practitioners scattered throughout the country. The Gambian government maintains four hospitals including Edward Francis Small Teaching Hospital, the country’s referral facility in Banjul.

The other three hospitals are located in rural provinces, Bwiam in the Foni region, Farafenni in the Badibu region on the north bank and Bansang in the Fulladu region.

Gambia’s public health infrastructure consists of seven Divisional Health Teams (DHTs) located throughout the country who offer in-house clinic activities as well as mobile maternal and child health (MCH) clinics which visit villages not within walking distance.

Medical NGOs and Charity Organisations in The Gambia

Medical NGOs and missions also sponsor health care facilities throughout the country which serve patients on a first-come, first-served basis. Among the largest and best-known are the Gambia Family Planning Association (GFPA), which runs several clinics that primarily offer gynecological and obstetrical services.

The UK-based Medical Research Council (MRC), whose gate clinic  in Fajara is considered by many to be the best treatment option for Gambians who cannot afford care at a private clinic.

Private Clinics in The Gambia

Private clinics, most of them located in Banjul and the surrounding Kombo area, are often staffed by EFSTH physicians when they are not on duty at the hospital. Here they may have more time and access to more up-to-date, expensive diagnostic equipment.

Patients who can afford private treatment either pay in cash or are reimbursed by health insurance offered by some of the country’s larger employers such as Gamtel, the national telecommunications provider and GRTS, the state-run radio and television service.