By Mustapha Jarju
Alagie Jaw, a health worker who treat patients in his house at his native village of Malick Nana due to long distance of his village from the main health centre in Kuntaya in Jokadu District.
“Someone`s health need is not something that can be addressed in a house for treatment looking at the condition of my house we cannot use here for treatment, because some people feel shy and cannot express some of the sickness symptoms most especially women and I am a man. Patients with certain symptoms to get into the house to discuss with them is difficult.
“Health issues in this village is very difficult what make it difficult is that before we the village health workers they use to give us some medicines like Paracetamol and dressing items, but that is no more happening,” he said.
“Every symptom of infections that are discovered in the Gambia has to come through the Village health workers.”
“Pregnant women within the area face a lot of challenges because of the distance between his village and the hospitals, and the road network are poor saying that some time he would use his motorbike to take pregnant women to the hospital or use Horse or Donkey carts. He stressed that there was an instance where a pregnant woman who was on labour died on a Donkey Cart heading to the hospital,” he added.
“So, I called his husband he told me he was burning charcoal, I told him if you don’t come the police will come for you because you leave someone one here who is sick and you are saying you are making charcoal and how can we make arrangement for a Donkey Cart at that night, so I make arrangement for a Motorcycle and Fuel it. I drive the Motorbike and use another woman to sit behind her to control her for and we were escorted by another Motorcycle,” he continued.