Sixteen Gambian doctors and nurse have returned to the country after studies in Disaster and Pre-hospital Emergency Medicines in Izmir, Turkey.
The study aimed to equip Gambian medical professionals to conduct step-down training for health workers, and members of the security on disaster and pre-hospital emergency medicines, as well as train village health workers on basic life support.
“Following government’s procurement of 80 ambulances to initiate a community ambulance services, a team of 16 health personnel including nurses and doctors have completed a training of trainers on Disaster and Pre-hospital Emergency Medicines in the Turkish city of Izmir.
“The objective is to equip Gambian medical professionals to conduct step-down training for health workers, and members of the security on disaster and pre-hospital emergency medicines, as well as train village health workers on basic life support. These Turkey trainees are therefore expected to conduct all future trainings for pre-hospital management including the paramedics for the community ambulance services,” the ministry of information said.
“As part of the community ambulance service delivery, eleven ambulance stations will be built on the 11 areas most prone to road traffic accidents in the country. This, authorities believe, will reduce the reaction time to accidents,” it added.
According to Mr Ousman Ceesay, Programme Manager, Primary Health Care at the Ministry of Health, who led the Gambian cohort to Turkey, the team visited the state hospital, emergency call centre, and the disaster training centre in Turkey. All the participants, he informed, were presented with certificates.