By Yunus S Saliu
In her commitment to supporting the Ministry of Health to keep The Gambia polio-free, The Gambia First Lady Her Excellency Fatou Bah Barrow yesterday launched the national polio vaccination campaign at the Poly Clinic unit of the Edward Francis Small Teaching Hospital (EFSTH) and was accompanied by the Honourable Minister for Health, Dr, Momodou Lamin Samateh, the Chief Medical Director, Dr. Mustapha Bittaye and other health officials from the ministry and the hospital.
The nationwide vaccination campaign exercise is divided into two rounds. The first round is slated for November 12th to 15th, 2024, and the second round will be held from December 12th to 15th, 2024.
Launching the polio vaccination campaign exercise, the First Lady Her Excellency Fatoumatta Bah-Barrow emphasized the danger of polio saying it is a disease that leads to disability and sometimes kills.
“Prevention does not cost anything, but curing costs a lot of money, and I want the mothers to be taking their children for antenatal care. It is called antenatal child welfare. Child welfare for at least five complete years, because they are preventing their children from getting sick,” she encouraged the mother to take good responsibility and care for their children.
However, the First Lady applauded a gentleman and a father for volunteering to support his wife by accompanying and bringing his child for the vaccination, “Congratulations for supporting your wife. And I believe if men do come to the hospital and support their wives, they are allowed to be taken in advance before any other person. And I believe that it takes two to tango. It takes two to raise a family, and the fathers are the head of the family if we the women are too busy. I think the father can support.”
Dr. Momodou Lamin Samateh, Honourable Minister for Health thanked the First Lady for her all-time support to the Ministry of Health in an extension, he thanked the staff of his ministry and the hospital for their hard work, especially making the health of the children their priority.
He commended the government of the Gambia for renovating, and uplifting the hospital to a high standard that everyone can benefit from.
The Minister recognized the efforts of the First Lady to the health sector saying whatever she brings to any of the sectors in the country, “The health sector gets a chunk of it. But of course, the First Lady’s efforts are supporting the efforts of His Excellency, the President of the Republic since he came into office a little over seven years ago.”
He dilated on some of the developmental projects undertaken in the health sector which include renovations, expansion of some health facilities, human capacity building, and lots more.
Dr. Mustapha Bittaye, Chief Medical Director at EFSTH also made some comprehensive remarks at the launch of the polio vaccination campaign.
