By Landing Colley
The Parliamentarians on health, disaster and humanitarian relief in partnership with National Disaster Management Agency (NDMA) have visited more disaster hotspot areas across the country.
The tour is meant to examine key disaster hotspot areas to know the challenges and how to mitigate those challenges.
As disclosed by the select committee on tour, most of these disaster hotspot areas are facing with slime challenges which had blocked main stream way with assistant of road construction, others are facing with bad crossing points and lack of stone pitching.
On Thursday the committee visited some other hotspots which included Bapemarika, and Niorro Jattaba. The hotspot in Niorro Jattaba is in critical condition that needed an urgent respond.
Notwithstanding, on Friday the committee visited Banjul Disaster hotspot areas including the one at half die street to know the challenges.
Mawdo Amadou Jallow, NDMA regional coordinator disclosed that government has spent a considerable amount of money to make sure that the hostspot in Banjul is up to standard but the dumping of waist has become an issue.
He noted that the place do over float around March which will course stagnation of water at some streets in the city.
According to him, the place could have been built with bolder stone around and to cover it so that the water will not be exposed which will avoid children getting contact as the hotspot is between three schools.
Speaking to Sanna Dahaba, director NDMA said it is important that the hotspots are identified and know the kind of investment they require to address the challenges.
According to him, globally waste is problem when it comes to development and people are very at generating waste but find it very difficult to manage it.
However, he said NDMA is partnering with stakeholders in order to come up with lasting solution in terms of managing the waste products in the country.
Meanwhile, the National Assembly select committee on health and disaster visit to hospitals and other facilities started with started with the Edward Francis Small Teaching Hospital, Covid-19 testing center in Bakau and later continued to Sabi Health Centre, Basse Health Center, Bansang Hospital, Farafenni Hospital, Kuntaur health center, Bwiam hospital.
Most of these hospitals and health centres challenges are almost the same especially in terms of human resources, mobility, accommodation, and compliance of patients with regards to covid-19 rules as well as insufficient staff.
Bwiam Hospital lacks expert in various field, x-ray and want expansion of the Covid-19 suspect holding center which is having only two beds likewise Farafenni Hospital. The hospital authorities said in the area of the treatment centre they are facing challenges in terms of security to regulate people as most of them end up fighting. Another key problem is lack of furniture and also in the area of testing as Gambian are not volunteering but only those traveling are doing volunteering testing because they are in need of the testing certificate.
The committee is expected to come up with report and recommendation that will ensure in addressing these challenges across the country in order to strengthen the hospital to contain covid-19