By: Haruna Kuyateh
Blood donation is a key in saving lives and improves health of the population. The Gambia Armed Forces remains key partners and a source of admiration for the poor in providing free donation of blood. Therefore soldiers and officers have been traditional blood donors to Farafenni General Hospital and the move has helped to save lives of people in critical condition, this includes Accident and Emergency Unit and pregnant women.
The hospital administrator of Farafenni General Hospital has underscored the significance role the management attaches to harvesting blood to enhance quality health care services.
Famara Sillah was speaking on Friday in Farafenni where soldiers and officers of Second Infantry in Farafenni converged to donate blood and ensure availability of blood at all times.
The theme: Donate blood and safe lives. The donation of blood by soldiers is in respond to military high command under the dynamic leadership of CDS Yankuba Drammeh to complement government efforts towards donation of blood at major health centers and hospitals across the country.
The hospital administrator recognised their enormous support and contribution by carrying out regular cleansing exercise in the hospital.
Lt Colonel Timothy Sanyang Commanding Officer at the 2nd Infantry Battalion in Farafenni noted that over 200 officers and soldiers under his command in various military camps and posts will donate blood to enhance blood harvesting strategy and improve health care service delivery.
He noted that the initiative by CDS Drammeh would further strengthen civil military relationships in protecting lives.
CEO Sanyang hailed soldiers for their invaluable support to health sector in donation of blood.
Alhaji Sambujang Jagne, Community Leader expressed delight on high level of civil military relationships and thanked soldiers for their tireless efforts for donation of blood.
Captain Abdou Bah Medical Officer-In-Charge at 2nd Infantry Battalion Clinic lauded the foresight of CDS and Minister of Defence. He said it would reduce the burden of civilian demanding blood harvesting from soldiers.
| He added that it is part of the mandates of Gambia Armed Forces to protect the sovereignty and lives, therefore donation of blood would obviously help to safe lives of people in critical condition.
He thanked men, women and officers for their sacrifice in constant donation of blood to patients at various health facilities to save lives. Sutering Drammeh Regional Health Director for Farafenni Health Region said donation of blood calls for collective efforts to strengthen capacity of health workers to respond to emergency to save lives. He noted that the exercise is also important as it will help volunteers to know their blood groups. Sainey Dibba Public Relation Officer gave a brief background of the hospital since it was established in 1999 and 2002 started seeing major illness of all medical conditions. The hospital served people from LRR, CRR and some part of Senegal. |