By Momodou Jawo
Denkula Charitable Foundation, on Friday donated medical items to Serrekunda General Hospital in Kanifing and Bansang Hospital in the Central River Region (CRR).
Denkula, a Mandinka word meaning (for everyone) was set up by ten young Gambian professionals from different work background, with the objectives of contributing their quarter toward nation building.
The items donated included Bm machines, catheters, cannulars, adult diapers, syringes, incubator among host of other hospital materials.
Speaking at the presentation ceremony held at the Serrekunda General Hospital, the deputy permanent secretary admin and finance of the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare (MoHSW) Malang Darboe underscored the significance of the donated items to the hospitals.
The beneficiary hospitals, he added, are the main referral hospitals aside from the Edward Francis Small Teaching Hospital in Banjul, thus the medical items donated will achieve their goal of providing quality health care delivery.
The secretary general Denkula Charitable Foundation Alhagie M Sarr said the executive of his foundation believes that health is the most critical and challenging sector of development in the country.
“There is no government that can fully take care of the welfare of her people particularly in addressing their health care needs. Therefore, it is incumbent upon the private sector/NGOs and philanthropists to invest heavily in the health sector,” he stated, adding that in the absence of health no meaningful development can take place.
He used the opportunity to announce the initiation of the Dalasi Campaign strategy dubbed “Donate a Dalasi to Improve Health”. The grand launching of this campaign, he revealed, will be organised in the coming months and funds raised will be used to support Kaur and Kuntuar health centres in CRR.
The chief executive officer of Serrekunda Hospital Kebba Manneh said the donated materials will add value to the lives of patients in the hospital. “Investing in the health sector is not the business of government alone. We need individuals, NGOs, foundations and philanthropists to complement government in boosting our health system,” he noted.
Serrekunda hospital, CEO Manneh noted, is serving a large population and the demand is very high, thus the MoHSW cannot do it alone.
For her part, the public relations officer (PRO) of the foundation Fatou Janneh Mbai, said her foundation plans to embark on a massive sensitisation forum of young people on irregular migration and the dangers associated with illicit drug among others.
