By: Isatou Sarr
The Minister of Health, Dr. Ahmadou Lamin Samateh, said the Gambia government is committed to deliver an enhanced healthcare system for the population, adding that the Barrow administration is implementing various projects in the various health regions of the country.
“Infrastructure is important but you cannot have buildings without equipment. We need to get equipment and believe me, for the past few years, the government and partners have procured so many life-saving equipment. When some people visit some of the health facilities, they are surprised that that equipment are in The Gambia and they start wondering where we get this from,” Dr. Samateh said during the government’s latest monthly briefing at the Sir Dawda Kairaba Jawara International Conference Centre.
He cited the provision of life-saving equipment such various types of monitors, scanning equipment and some digital x-ray equipment as part of government’s commitment to an improved healthcare services.
“A lot of work is also done in Bwiam General Hospital, costing tens of millions of Dalasi. Equally, in Brikama-Ba, the health centre is receiving some expansion improvements. We are doing all this because we want to bring health services to the doorsteps of the people,” he stated.
He informed his audience that the government is also spearheading the construction of drugs and food testing laboratory which, he revealed, will soon be functional.
“Work has started at the food and drug laboratory at Brusubi. We can all remember the incident of AKI in The Gambia, which was devastating for children, families, government and everybody but we say that should never happen in this country again. We can only do that if we are able to test what comes in here [and] because of that the government and partners are building the national food and drug laboratory at Brusubi and the construction work is far ahead now. We decided to add the food component to it because food coming in The Gambia is not also tested. Last time, we had challenge with the drugs. This time, we don’t want challenges in either drugs or foods and very soon, all drugs and foods that come in this country for consumption of Gambians will all be tested,” assured the health minister.
Dr. Samateh further stated that with the support of the World Bank, the government of The Gambia “is able to bring in up to 20 very highly qualified professionals and senior consultants” to work at Edward Francis Small Teaching Hospital.