The official opening of the community clinic was done on Saturday in Fass Njaga Choi.
The intervention by Helping Charity included a Land Rover to be used as a referral ambulance, completion of staff accommodation, installation of solar system, painting, roofing, floor tiles, plastering the clinic, partly plastering the staff quarters and provided a new ceiling for the clinic which has a capacity of seven Government staff, a midwife, three CHN generals, a public health officer, one nurse attendant and an orderly.
The charity also provided the clinic with a brand new computer, two wheelchairs, walking frames, walking sticks, dressing and medicines, as well as, 19 bags of rice for the voluntary workers on renovation of the clinic.
Sarjo Sarr, Helping Charity, Gambia representative, said the charity organisation runs six nurseries in total by providing free learning and teaching materials, paying its teachers’ wages, as well as providing nursery lunch for the three nurseries.
“We built kitchen in Pakaw Njogu and refurbished a classroom block, staff quarters, a kitchen in Fass Basic Cycle School, a fully equipped computer lab with seven panels and a standby generator and helped Medina Serigne Mass, Fass and Pakaw Basic Cycle, Jinack, Chamen and Chessay Majaw Lower Basic Schools in learning, teaching materials, sporting gears and secondhand clothes,” he added.
Helping Charity has over three hundred and forty sponsored children from nursery to university level with over hundred of them from Fass and its surrounding villages, Mr Sarr stated, adding that they run for free the six nursery schools and also sponsor close to one thousand Gambian children.
“The new roof, ceiling tiles, solar and the clinic, partly plastered staff quarters, provision of a new ceiling, tiles, and a new solar system cost twice what was estimated and we have now spent D626,385, which included materials, transportation, food for the workers among others,” he revealed.
In addition to the building of nurseries in Jinack, Chamen, Chessay Majaw and Fass, including the extending of Fass Nursery and refurbished Junior Nursery, Helping Charity has a teaching staff of seventeen of which nine graduated from the Gambia College, he said.
He revealed that two are currently undergoing the ECD program at the Gambia College, all of which are sponsored by the charity.
Mr Sarr further said the education oriented charity, partly supports health whenever the need arises and aims to sign an MoU with the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare.
He described the renovation and finishing of the Fass Njaga Choi clinic and staff quarters as the biggest project the education oriented charity has ever embarked on so far, while calling on the cluster villages and Fass Njaga Choi in particular to protect the place, as well as give it the maximum security possible.
“I do expect every individual resident to be a police and security to the clinic and the staff quarters,” he added.
He thanked everyone who helped in one way or the other in the completion of the project, especially the VDC who were very instrumental in mobilizing the villages.
He also thanked the UK-based members who made all this possible by raising the funds, especially Dr Mark and his wife and their entire family, who contributed greatly towards the refurbishment in memory of their three lost ones who died in a tragic car accident and Charlotte Taylor who contributed immensely towards the solar.
Momodou Barrow, Regional Senior Health Care Administrator, described the opening of the clinic as a major development.
Mr Barrow added that the opening of the clinic would go a long way in complementing Government efforts at bringing quality healthcare service to the doorsteps of people in Fass Njaga Choi and its surrounding villages.
“The provision of quality healthcare delivery requires the active participation of all stakeholders,” he remarked, describing the magnificent contribution by Helping Charity to the people of Fass Njaga Choi and its surrounding communities as a clear manifestation of their care and concern for the welfare of Gambians.
“The Ministry of Health and Social Welfare will consider the issue of upgrading Fass Community Clinic into a Health Centre,” he said.
On behalf of the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, he thanked President Yahya Jammeh for providing the enabling environment and making quality healthcare delivery his number one priority.
He expressed his sincere thanks and appreciation to Helping Charity, and the community of Fass Njaga Choi, as well as any other individual or group that has contributed towards the success of the project.
He also thanked the staff of the clinic for their dedication and commitment to rendering healthcare services in the facility and beyond.
