Caritas Gambia, Day One Health donates medical equipment to 6 hospitals

Caritas Gambia and Day One Health; an American humanitarian organisation  operating in health and education sectors have donated medical equipment to Bundung maternal and child hospital, Edward Francis Small Teaching Hospital, Bansang General Hospital, St. Lazarus clinic, Farafenni and Serrekunda general hospitals.

The items include firefly phototherapy, colibri phototherapy, wallaby warmer, 12v uninterruptible power supply, nursing kits and internal backup batteries to reduce newborn mortality and morbidity in hospitals.

Francis D Mendy, national director of Caritas Gambia said the Catholic Development Office (CaDO) also called Caritas Gambia was established in 2001 as a registered charity and a non- profitable organisation.

“Our mandate is to coordinate economic and social development work with the aim of attaining a more humane and just society, irrespective of colour, raise or ideology,” he said.

He said his institution’s activities in The Gambia include in the areas of HIV and Aids care support, child protection, malaria prevention, strengthening of the capacities of communities, agriculture, water and sanitation.

Love Potya, Day One Health Africa Regional Director said the organisation main goal is to help low resource countries in the fight against neonatal mortality and mobility.

“About 7000 neonates die daily around the world mainly due to lack of appropriate medical and equipment. In many cases, it is due to bureaucracy in governments across the health sector that lead to the increase in the rate of neonatal mortality.”

According to her, there are never enough medical devices to go around in many of the hospitals and that is why Day One Health steps in to close the gap by donating durable and high tech medical devices for low resources countries.

Mustapha Bittaye, acting director of health services expressed gratitude for the collaboration and the good gesture by the donors. “In health, it is very difficult to come out with your number one priority but among our top most priorities is to reduce maternal and neonatal mortality.”

Presenting on pathologies, Dr. Jolly Nankunda from Uganda said neonatal maternity has remained high in low resource countries over the years.