By Adama Jallow
The Ministry of Health through the pharmaceutical services, Monday received a 40foot container of medical equipment and pharmaceutical items from ChildFund International the Gambia through its donors, MAP International, for onward distribution to health facilities across the country.
The medical items are meant for promotion and wellbeing of children and the vulnerable population. The items include antibiotics and painkillers among others.
The gesture came through the collaboration of ChildFund the Gambia with MAP International which has been in existence since 2012.
Speaking at the ceremony held at the Central Medical Store in Kotu, ChieldFund Human Resource Admin and Support Specialist, Omar Gassama revealed that the gesture was not the first time ChildFund will collaborate with MAP international to deliver pharmaceutical to CMS, which he hopes to continue.
He pointed out that the delivery of the medical items was also meant to compliment government efforts in providing essential materials to the Gambian people to help strengthen the medical sector and alleviate the suffering of the people.
He revealed that hence the government cannot do it alone, that was the reason ChildFund and MAP International step in to support in this venture, which is a path in fulfilling the ChildFund cooperate and social responsibility in providing the medical equipment to the Gambians.
Fatou L Samateh, deputy director pharmaceutical services at the Ministry of Health, described ChildFund as their ideal partners, complemented them for their considerations, and said each time ChildFund has items to donate they always consult the health ministry.
She commended the them for the hard work, dedication as well as trust and confidence they have in the Health Ministry, while she looked forward to a lasting and much fruitful collaboration in the system in the future.
Alhagie Yahya Mbye, logistics officer and general services at ChildFund said their policy is to ensure whatever ChildFund donates to the Ministry or any department would be of the recipients’ choice and with the right quantity, with the fact that they don’t want to use the Gambia as a dumping site, but of its needs.
