By: Nyima Sillah
The Chief Medical Director (CMD) of the Edward Francis Small Teaching Hospital (EFSTH), Dr. Ammar Al Jafari, has disclosed that the children in the Sanatorium will be transferred to the Pediatric Surgical Ward next week.
Dr. Jafari disclosed this information to The Voice newspaper on Thursday, 20th July 2023, his promise came after a publication by this medium where the Hon Modou Bah, NAM for Banjul North urged the Ministry of Health to transfer the children from the Sanatorium to the appropriate place due to the situation of the environment.
The CMD gave reason for the former action while explaining that the reason for the renovation of the pediatric surgical ward is due to the old infrastructure of the ward which has been existing for over five years without being renovated.
“When I came as MD (of the hospital) I did a renovation because the department was very old so the children will be transferred next week,” he reiterated.
He stressed that only children for pediatric surgery who need an operation have been transferred to the Sanatorium, adding
it is critical to move the newly born babies.
“No one has used the sanatorium before. When I came as the MD, I prepared the place. I renovated it temporarily. Sometimes I don’t have a choice because it is better to transfer them to the sanatorium than leave them sleeping on the floor.
“I know the environment is not conducive and not good but I have no choice because in Ndemban (in Bakau) the capacity is not enough to accommodate those children,” he explained.
He went on to say that it is not only children in the Pediatric Surgical Ward who are transferred to the Sanatorium, but other patients were moved from Ndemban to the place as well hence they cannot allow the patient to sleep on the floor due to the limited capacity at Ndemban.
However, he said the renovated Ward is up to standard, noting it will accommodate 20 beds compared to the previous one that accommodates 10 beds, windows are changed, the Surgical patients and newly born babies are divided into different sides, and the environment is very good for the children, now compared to before.
Meanwhile, he said he has a plan to introduce the first trauma and accident center in Ndemban. Whereby, only medical patients will be in Banjul and the accident patients will be in Ndemban. “All these plans will be done when the general renovation is done,” he added.
He, therefore, encouraged the contractor to finish the renovation quickly so that the rest of the patients at the sanatorium can be moved back to the appropriate places at the EFSTH.