First Lady reaches out to 2016 newly-born babies

The First Lady, who was quite happy to meet the newly-born babies and their mothers in a good health condition at the hospital, made a handsome donation of D20,800 to each of the newly-born babies.

Gamtel/Gamcel also presented Healthy Living OSCF Packs (each worth D15,000) to the newly-born babies through “Operation Save the Children Foundation”.

GTBank also made a presentation of Savings Accounts of D20,000 for each of the babies and handed D10,000 to the mothers through the Foundation.

The first twins of 2016 (two boys) at EFSTH were born to Fatoumata Balajo of Tobacco Road in Banjul at 03.00am; while the first baby boy born of the year was delivered by Awa Camara of 42 Box Bar in Banjul at 00.45am.

There was no first baby girl born at the time of the first day in 2016 at EFSTH.

The two mothers were very delighted and appreciative of the visit by the First Lady, describing it as a blessing for them and their newly-born babies.

The support, they added, would be very helpful in the upbringing of the babies, and they prayed for the First Lady and the Foundation.

Baboucarr Sanyang, Managing Director of Gamtel, in his remarks, said: “It is often said when you support a man you support an individual, but when you support a woman you support a nation.”

In addition to this, he stated, Gamtel/Gamcel also believes that when ‘you support a baby you have supported humanity’ because a baby is the foundation of mankind.

Mr Sanyang said his institution is proud to be associated with the occasion; something he believes is part of their corporate social responsibility, and supporting such initiatives is as giving back to their esteemed customers.

Bolaji Ayodele, Managing Director of GTBank Gambia Limited, said GTBank was equally proud to partner in supporting such an initiative being spearheaded by the First Lady, adding that they would continue to support the noble initiative.

Omar Sey, the Minister of Health and Social Welfare, commended the First Lady for having covered seven hospitals this year, which was a “great development”.

Minister Sey informed the gathering that various interventions by the First Lady had helped his ministry save about D200 million from its budget that they would leave government to invest in other ministries.

“For the first time we are going to see a proper state-of-the-art Neonetal Unit for the newborn thanks to the intervention of the First Lady,” Minister Sey said.

“We want to thank you and we will continue to pray for you for long life and good strength because we know how much you complementing the efforts of the government.”

The most difficult indicators globally is Neonetal and child and mother health, he said, adding: “We know what you are doing in the case of cancer prevention, which is a global headache now. We know what you are doing in the Neonetal Ward which has been neglected all over the world.”

Mayor Abdoulie Bah of Banjul joined previous speakers in commending and applauding the First Lady for the immense contribution to the health sector.

In his vote of thanks, Professor IM Khalil, the Chief Medical Officer at the Edward Francis Small Teaching Hospital, was full of praises for the country’s First Lady for putting smiles on the faces of all the staff at the EFSTH and the newly-born babies.

“Your contribution to the hospital is very huge, which makes the hospital a world class hospital,” he said of Zineb Jammeh.

At the end of the presentation, the First Lady toured the operational Neonetal Intensive Care Unit and Kangaroo Medicare Unit, which is undergoing proper setting up.

Fatou Mas Jobe, the executive director of the “Operation Save the Children Foundation” was also present at the occassion.