By Fatou Saho
The Edward Francis Small Teaching Hospital (EFSTH) has received a donation of medicines and equipment valued at approximately seven million dalasi from the Chinese medical team. This significant donation is crucial for enhancing service delivery at the country’s primary referral hospital.
As part of the China-Gambia hospital cooperation, this initiative is designed to fortify The Gambia’s healthcare system by providing essential resources, training medical doctors and nurses in China, and bringing in top medical experts.
The donated items include advanced medical equipment such as bronchoscopy tools, bone screws, intramedullary nails, two diagnostic X-ray machines, respiratory circuits, respiratory masks, injections, disinfectants, a locking compression plate for limbs, glucose, and misoprostol tablets, among many others.
At the handover ceremony held at the hospital, the Chinese Counsellor to The Gambia, Counsellor Zhan Tong, emphasised that this donation represents just a part of the robust cooperation between China and The Gambia. He reaffirmed China’s steadfast commitment to supporting The Gambia, especially in the healthcare sector.
Counsellor Tong stated, “The China Medical Team has been a hallmark of China’s generosity and friendship since their first group came to The Gambia in the 1970s. Our team is not only based at EFSTH but also extends its services to other hospitals across The Gambia.”
“Every year, we donate around seven million dalasis, give or take, for the most urgent medical equipment and medicines required by the hospital. This is a testament to the enduring friendship of the Chinese people and government, and I take great pride in that,” Counsellor Tong declared.
The Chief Medical Director (CMD) at EFSTH, Dr. Mustapha Bittaye, along with the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Health, Mr Lamin Dampha, expressed their sincere gratitude to the Chinese team for their unwavering support.
Dr Bittaye highlighted that the China medical team’s approach is notably consultative.
“They actively seek our input regarding our needs and the areas where we require assistance. Together, we determine our priorities, including reducing maternal mortality and enhancing laparoscopic surgery. Based on these needs, we receive targeted support,” he explained.
Dr Bittaye asserted, “If we were to enumerate all the support we receive, it would be substantial. This is merely a glimpse of what they have delivered.”
