Dr. Mamady Cham, the director of Health Services at the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare has confirmed to the Daily Observer his appointment as the new chief medical director of the Royal Victoria Teaching Hospital (RVTH) with effect from 31st August 2010.  

He replaces Dr. Tamsir Mbowe. Reacting to his appointment, Dr. Cham said; "I am a civil servant, the people who employed me take me to where they want me [to serve]. It is a trust and confidence bestowed on me and I promised to execute my duties as expected." Asked about his immediate plans for RVTH, Dr. Cham said he will study the hospital and how it operates and then try to improve the quality of its  health service delivery.

"I need the support of everyone, from the highest  to the lowest[staff] because no one person can achieve it all. I thank those who gave me this assignment. I am among the youngest to serve in this position and I was chosen among a lot of Gambians, so I promise that I will do my best," he concluded.

Profile
Born on 10th December 1964, Dr. Cham hails from Albreda Village, Upper Niumi District of the North Bank Region. He attended Albreda Primary School from 1971-1976 and Nusrat High School from 1977-1983. He then proceeded to the Gambia College where he bagged his General Nursing (State Registered Nurse) certificate from 1985-1988 and his Midwifery (State Certified Midwife) certificate from 1991-1992.

Dr. Cham also studied at the University of Botswana from 1996-1997 where he obtained his Diploma in Community Health Nursing and later attended the University of Oslo from 2001-2003 where he got his Master of Philosophy in International Community Health. From August 2005 to December 2009, Dr. Cham studied for  his PhD in Medicine at the University of Oslo in Norway.

Employment
Dr. Cham first worked at the Royal Victoria Hospital from 1988-1989 as a Junior Staff Nurse and rose through the ranks to the position of director of Health Services; a position he last held until his appointment as chief medical director of RVTH.