By Yunus S Saliu
In quest to provide accessible health care and sustainable city development to the people, the City Link Ostend Banjul Project funded by the European Union Monday handed over a newly constructed burn wounds treatment centre worth D2.4 million to the Edwards Francis Small Teaching Hospital (EFSTH), Banjul for the purpose of Fresh Leave Aloe Vera Research Project.
During the research project which will last for 10 months children in particular that suffer burn will be treated.
Speaking at the handing over of the project research facility built inside EFSTH Banjul, Prof Ousman Nyan, Chief Medical Director of EFSTH expressed delight over the Fresh Leave Aloe Vera Research Project while gave brief background of the hospital.
He disclosed that for over a decade, City Link Ostend Banjul is being having a very good running relationship with the hospital and “they have been focusing really on health and it is very much appreciated that Banjul has is low line geographical situation.”
He reiterated that the collaboration between BCC and Ostend has been very well appropriate and very well received by EFSTH.
The CMD affirmed that the hospital has largely catered for the colonial government, perhaps for serious business people and eventually opens its doors for general health care of the country “and many doctors from many different nations have made an impact on the Gambia health care delivery over the period.”
Now it is a university teaching hospital training doctors, nurses, various health technicians and more recently it has initiation of specialist training for doctors including different specialties, he added
Mam Lai Jassey, Project Coordinator for City Link Ostend Banjul expressed appreciation to the Ostend City and Banjul City Council for facilitating the facility through the sponsorship of the EU funding.
The Project Coordinator highlighted importance attached to the facility while applauded the initiative and assured that the kids to the center will have very good treatment through the new technologies in the centre.
Phebian Ina Grant-Sagnia, the project Health Consultant said the treatment burn center is a new initiative and intervention therein all the treatments will be done in the center.
She noted that it is a research project to test the effectiveness of fresh aloe vera leaves and the traditional medicine – SSD. Noting that research has shown that it is very effective which other countries like Pakistan is using the tube (processed aloe vera).
Madam Grant-Sagnia added that the research program will last for a maximum period of 10 months starting from March 2022 while the research team from University of The Gambia, Edward Francis Small Teaching Hospital; volunteers from the Red Cross will start a training from as soon as possible, as permission to conduct the research has been given by the hospital.
“Everything is going to be evidence base and at the end of the research the building will be officially hand over to the hospital for continuation,” she noted.
Silke Beirens, Deputy Mayor City of Ostend, appreciated the centre while describing it as “a small building that big thing will happen inside.”
She expressed happiness for doing the opening of the centre and also for having the Burn Wounds Treatment Centre inside the hospital “because it is very important to combine the research with medical treatment.”
“I am as well happy that EU funded the project because next year the City Link will be 20 years in The Gambia, started way back in 2003,” she said.
The Deputy Chief Medical Director, Dr Charles Roberts and Chief Matron of EFSTH, Horeja Saine, among others dilated on the importance of the center which will help minimize infection rate in the burns ward noting that it is “a very good initiative research project.”