The presentation ceremony was witnessed by Hon. Seedy Njie and health services personnel, and was held at the Kotu Medical Stores.
The items was handed over to the minister for onward distribution to various hospitals, health centres and clinics across the country.
Speaking at the presentation ceremony on behalf of the association, Musu Kebba Jobe-Bojang, said GAA is dedicated to improving the life of members and the communities they find themselves in.
She added that in support of The Gambia and the great work performed by members of the health sector, the GAA conducted a drive to collect medical supplies, which was based on a list of supplies requested by the Edward Francis Small Teaching Hospital in Banjul.
Members of the community donated many of this items, and a sister organization was contacted from whom they received some materials of Ebola relief supplies.
The GAA is delighted to hand over this item to the minister for onward distribution to various health centrs, hospitals and clinics across the country, she said.
“It may not be much, but it is a start in the initiative the GAA is taking to help in the health sector. We have been providing help in the education sector,” she added.
In December, they donated school bags with supplies including uniforms to a school in Bondali, and in February they gave monetary donation to the School for the Blind through the global initiative for support of people with disabilities, she continued.
“The GAA will continue to collect items of use for our hospitals and health centres in The Gambia,” she further stated.
The GAA would like to thank everyone who donated items, solicited items or participated in the collection of items, she went on.
Mrs Jobe-Bojang commended the health minister for being supportive and for receiving them, as well as the Gambian Embassy in Washington DC.
In receiving the items on behalf of the Gambia government, Health minister Dr Omar Sey thanked the Gambian leader “who is the brain and the champion behind our success in the fight in Ebola prevention, who has done everything possible to ensure that The Gambia is free-Ebola.”
Therefore, he added, GAA bringing this donation of medical items for the people of The Gambia is something that is worthy of commendation and emulation “by our brothers and sisters living in the Diaspora.”
He said the beauty of it is that it was all based on what they needed in The Gambia, adding that in The Gambia the experts are very much particular about health items donated to the country.
Sometimes people donate items that are not fit for the Gambian people, and they send them back, Minister Sey said.
But for this donor, they were careful in selecting the items; therefore, on behalf of the Gambia government and the people of The Gambia, the minister assured the donors that the items would be properly used to the right hospitals and health centres that need them most.
Hon. Seedy Njie also expressed similar sentiments, and commended the Gambian Embassy in Wastington DC under Sheikh Omar Faye and Pierre Minteh for connecting him with the Gambian-American Association through Musu Kebba Jobe-Bojang, who is based in Maryland.
