By Alagie Manneh
A group of Gambians based in the United States last Wednesday donated medical items and equipment to Bundung Maternal and Child Health Hospital.
Some of the donated items are for onward delivery to Bwiam General and Brikama District hospitals.
US-based engineer Isatou Njie, who facilitated the donation, presented the items to the management and staff of Bundng hospital.
She said the donors, herself included, wanted to give back to the country and contribute towards a quality healthcare service delivery.
“We are all brought up to assist our communities and people. It’s not much. It is from friends and families across the US,” she told nurses gathered for the presentation.
Among the donated items were face masks, surgical gloves, examination gloves, hand sanitisers, disinfectant solutions, trash can, blood sugar machines, urine bags, suctioning materials, isolation gowns, sodium chloride fluids, feeding cups among many others.
The items were estimated to worth at least $15,000.
Ivan Coker, head of administration of the hospital, thanked Ms Njie and partners, saying the hospital remain indebted to her for the “timely goodwill and philanthropic gesture”.
“Thank you for choosing Bundung Maternal and Child Health Hospital and for complimenting governments efforts,” Mr Coker said.
Aja Binta Samateh Sidibeh, a former director of the Women’s Bureau, urged the beneficiary health centres to make good use of the donated items.
Amie Njie Trawally, head of the hospital’s maternity unit, delivered the vote of thanks and reminded that maternal deaths cannot be reduced in the absence of equipment or materials needed for the job.
She appealed for greater support for one of the country’s busiest hospitals.
