As part of their contribution to the health sector, the six staff of Access Bank's public sector banking unit on 21 April 2011 gave Easter gifts to the children ward of the Royal Victoria Teaching Hospital (RVTH) in
Realising that children admitted at the ward at the time might not be able to spend Easter with their families due to their health condition, the bank staff therefore decided to extend a helping hand to them.
The items donated included 10 mosquito bed nets, biscuits, sweets, juice, balloons and cake.
In his welcoming statement, Lamin Camara, matron of the children ward, applauded the Access Bank staff for their invaluable support.
This is the first of its kind for the ward to receive such support from the bank, he said, adding that the bank had been making very useful contribution in other areas of the hospital.
The kids would enjoy and appreciate the gift given to them by the Access Bank staff, he said.
"The mosquito nets will help a lot, especially during the raining season when malaria use to be very high," he noted. "We have a lot of children who are admitted in the children ward, so the mosquito nets will help a lot and will go a long way in reducing the risk of them getting malaria."
Mr Camara said the board and the management of the hospital are very happy with the staff of Access Bank for the gesture.
"I hope that other organisations will emulate Access Bank by contributing their quota in the area of health," he added.
Speaking earlier, Dede Nal Williams, head of public sector banking at Access Bank, said the gifts, which came from six employees of the public sector banking unit of the bank, formed part of their personal contribution to the hospital,
"These six employees feel that there is need to make children happy who are not spending Easter with their families as a result of their admission," she said.
"Though the gift (package) is not huge, this is the first time for the bank’s staff to make such a presentation during Easter, and we hope it will continue."
The mosquito nets would also go a long way in helping the children at the ward, Ms Williams reiterated: "Hopefully, next year we can do a lot better than this year’s Easter; we therefore continue to pray for the patients."
Also speaking at the gathering, Mohamed EL Kabir Fye, corporate communication officer, says health is wealth. "So where there is health more development will take place," he added.
