Teaching and laboratory resources for students in the Department of Basic Medical Sciences in the Faculty of Medical Sciences, Mona have been significantly upgraded as part of an initiative within the Faculty to expand and modernise its facilities.

The renovated and refurbished Physiology Lecture Theatre, the Pre-clinical Lecture Theater and the Physiology Laboratory in the Section of Physiology were officially opened at a ceremony held in the department on Thursday, December 22. Project Manager, Devon Smith, informed the gathering that seating capacity in the lecture theatre has been increased from 115 to 245 persons while the laboratory has increased its capacity from 60 to 90 persons. Facilities in the Pre-clinical lecture theatre have also been upgraded with the capacity moving from 156 to 190 persons while improvements have been made in the support staff area.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Dean of the Faculty, Professor Archibald McDonald noted that the upgraded facilities formed part of an initiative by the Faculty of Medical Sciences to reposition itself to meet the challenges being posed by increased competition as well as the demand for health care services worldwide. He said that the world’s population was ageing with a concomitant increase in the demand for health care services. He argued that the Faculty of Medical Sciences would have to transform itself from a regional to an international institution in order to meet the increased demand for training for health care personnel as well as for the provision of related services.

In that regard, he informed those present that plans were being made to design and construct a new building for the Department of Basic Medical Sciences.