By Adama Makasuba
Calia Group – a specialised hearing and optical clinic, has donated hearing aids worth more than forty thousand dollars [$40,000].
Speaking at the donation ceremony held at Tropical Mall, Kololi, Raul Dos Santos, managing director of Calia Group said: “Yes, we are going to donate 40 digital hearing aids not only for St John’s school but for Banjul project and anybody who has the economic capacity to buy hearing aids we will be donating 40 units this week. These hearing aids are worth more than $40,000 for both retails.”
According to him, the main objective of this clinic is to ensure high quality products and services at affordable prices for The Gambians. “One of the first things I realised when I came to the Gambia was that there was only one professional audiologist in Banjul that’s the reason why I invested in this…
“In fact, one of main concerns regarding the price of hearing aid, for instance, is that we sell it in Cape Verde for 650 dollars, which I know is a huge amount of money in The Gambia. So, we are making a great effort to bring down the price for hearing aids to D5,000 for one gadget, but I have a problem which is the duty [tax] to pay and I have 15% VAT,” he added.
Also, he said he wants to extend his business to other parts of the country, adding “I have been to Bansang and Basse and I think there is a greater potential there to extend our operation. It’s not something that we will do this year but for sure we will do it in the coming years. And I would really like to put a satellite hub in Basse for operation.”
Daniel J Mendy, principal St John’s School for the deaf, expressed delights about the donation saying “we have been battling for the need for hearing aids but we still rely on friends who visit the school.”
“We make (met) out cry for help, they come in to help but with the other type of hearing aid, the analogy type. Now that we are fortunate to have people who are donating the digital type, I am really pleased and happy,” he expressed gratitude.