Women
in rural Gambia have appealed to the Constitutional Review Commission (CRC)
team that was set up to draft and guide the process of promulgating a new
Constitution for The Gambia to consider putting in place measures to ensure a
better health care service for them.
Locals
made this call during the first leg of their two-week civic education public
awareness campaign organised by the National Council for Civic Education (NCCE)
in partnership with the Constitutional Review Commission (CRC). The outreach is
meant to prepare and set the ground ahead of nationwide public consultations
proper.
For Kumba Kusa, a native of Kumbija village in
Tumana District, Upper River Region, there’s a need for more trained Gambian
doctors and nurses to be able to effectively respond to the healthcare of
Gambians.
She
observed that in most cases, when pregnant women go to health facilities they
are not given due attention and care they deserve.
Kusa
further explained that health workers would only ask them about their problems
and would not bother to check on them.
At
times they will tell some that their delivery period is not due, yet mostly
women deliver on their way home”, she stated.
This
kind of situation, she added, has left many women in difficult circumstances
and in some cases leading to complications. She thus urged the Government to
put in place strict measures against health workers found wanting of such
behavior.
Momodou
Fatty, a native of Kaif in Kiang, urged the team to capture in the draft
constitution that, neither a president nor the first family should establish a
foundation or movement.
‘This
sometimes causes conflict of interest’. Fatty added that prisoners that meet
the voting-age requirement should have a voting right during elections.
Buwa
Kinteh, Alkalo of Pakalinding said presidential running mate system should not
be introduced because once the vice president realize that he/she cannot be
dismissed by the president before the end of their term, he/she may be
undermining the president.
Saidou
Bah, a native of Pakalinding called for the free basic education to be extended
to public senior secondary schools across the country.