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Japan boosts Senegal Armed Forces with Mobile Hospital

Jul 27, 2017, 11:19 AM

Japanese Ambassador to Senegal, H.E. HEM OMORI Shigeru, recently handed over a Mobile Hospital with two ambulances to the Senegalese Armed Forces.

The well-resourced mobile hospital, which has all essential hospital facilities including surgery, lab, dental clinic, 30 beds, and effective drugs,  is not too common in Africa.

Speaking on the occasion, held at one of the army camps in Dakar, Ambassador Shigeru said it was great honour for him through his government to lend a helping hand to the Senegalese armed forces.

“It is great honor for me to participate in the handing over ceremony of the mobile hospital with up-to-date medical equipment and the two ambulances to the Armed Forces of the Republic of Senegal,” said Ambassador Shigeru. The project is financed by Japan to the tune of 566 million FCFA.

“This project will improve the quality of the healthcare delivery service to the population who have difficulty in accessing health service,” the ambassador said.

“This project shows the determination and commitment of the Japanese government to Universal Health Coverage, to better the condition of life in Senegal,” he said.

Essentially, last year, the government s of Japan and Senegal signed a cooperation agreement on Universal Health Coverage programme, the ambassador recalled.

“I wish this project helps to develop the health policy and reinforces the friendship between Senegal and Japan,” he concluded.

The Senegalese Minister of Defence, Augustin Tine, in his remarks at the programme, said:  “The Japanese people have always shown great solidarity with the Senegalese people through dynamic, effective and highly appreciated cooperation in various fields such as education, fisheries, health, to name but a few.”

He added: “This gratuitous transfer of a mobile field hospital to the Army Health Directorate is timely, especially given that we are facing a context of increasing and diversifying the threats of all with the consequent increase in demand for medical and surgical care across the country and in the sub region.

“This high-quality, 30-bed mobile care tool with modules for surgery, anesthesia-resuscitation, radiology, dental surgery and two medical ambulances, for a total cost of six hundred and fifty-five Nine hundred and fifty-seven thousand CFA francs (655,957,000) will enable the Army Health Service to better cope with all situations of mass influx of the wounded.”

The Armed Forces Command and its partners have made considerable efforts to make major progress in the Army Health Service, particularly in the area of infrastructure and equipment, he said.

“This new acquisition, which is not the least, will help to reinforce the rapid intervention capabilities of the Army Health Service.”

He said further that the Mobile Hospital is an important link in the relief chain for the wounded in operation or disaster, allowing the temporary admission of many victims before their evacuation to the hospitals.”

“At this juncture,” he said, “I would like to acknowledge the important role played by Mr Bassirou GAYE, General Manager of MPGS ARPAS Logistics, in the realization of this project.”

“Thanks to his patriotism and commitment, this mobile medical unit could be financed by Japan,” he, said, adding. “He was thus at the beginning and at the end of the process, hence the Army will be very grateful to him and extend their gratitude.”