Modernizing the health sector: Minister gives 2 ambulances, promises health centers

Part of fulfilling President Adama Barrow’s meet the people
tour promises to make a different in the country’s
development, Dr. Ahmad Lamin Samateh, the Minister of
Health has over the weekend gave two ambulances to the
community of Nema Kunka in Upper Nuimi and Njau Sawalo
in Upper Saloum, while promised to build about five health
centers.

After the presentation of the ambulances, the minister stated
that “As you know the government inherited lot of
challenges but nonetheless we have stated to solve them one
by one because the people of the country deserves adequate
healthcare service delivery for the various communities.”

Dr. Samateh said healthcare is expensive and must of the
equipment we use are imported and the resources are
inadequate but they are doing whatever they can to ensure
that the people received what they actually deserves.

Strengthening the referring system, Minister said is very
crucial because a minor health center or health post, where
people's conditions cannot be managed in those facilities,
need to be taking to other facilities and that's why they given
out the ambulances.

“The Njau health post have a big catchment areas because is
the only facility in Upper Saloum, which needs assistance.
The community made the request during the presidential
tour and we did promise that we would provide them an
ambulance; finally we delivered it to them.”

He indicated that they are advertising for the renovation and
upgrade of various facilities in the country because must of
the facilities President Barrow's government met were
dilapidated, adding that they know it cannot be like that and
that process had started.

He promised that toward the end of February, they would
start the construction of Njau health center, which he said
the staffing issue is challenging but they are addressing it by
training more people to file the gaps.

About equipment, he emphasized that UNICEF had provided
equipment worth D25 million and very soon they will be
distributed to all facilities around the country.

He continued that the problems in the health sector are
being addressed and maternal morality is going down,
saying if we look at the previous figure, and what is recorded
now, we will find is half of that.

“We are going to strengthen regional hospitals and Essau,
Bwiam, Mansakunku, Farafanni, Kuntaur, Karantaba and
Basse will be part of it, and they will all going to be operating
to the women whom have problem during delivery.
Hopefully this will save a lot of lives, must of these facilities
have already started doing that.”