Isatou
Senghore-Njie
Westfield
Clinic in Serekunda is to benefit from supply of medical equipment courtesy of
the Japanese Grant Assistance for grassroots human security project.
The
project was launched in The Gambia on Tuesday and Hideya Sato, first secretary
at the Embassy of Japan in Senegal, said it is part of Japan’s new strategy on
global health diplomacy.
Speaking
at the inauguration of the project held at Westfield Clinic, Mr Sato said the
project represents Japan’s development cooperation initiative in the health
sector.
He
noted that the government of Japan has contributed to the development of the
health sector in The Gambia in order to improve the living conditions of the
population.
In
2015, Japan launched a project to support the National Ebola Prevention and
Preparedness in The Gambia that is planned and implemented by UNDP through
Japanese financial contribution amounting US$1,600,000.
In
addition, the Japanese embassy offered US$78,000 to the Ministry of Health for
installing three thermography equipment at Banjul International Airport.
Mr
Sato said through the project, the government of Japan offers 73,314 Euros to
Westfield Clinic to introduce blood test equipment and six other medical
machines.
He
said that the project comes against the backdrop of “a dramatic increase” in
the number of people suffering from non-communicable disease such as diabetes
and hypertension in The Gambia.
Sheriff
Tambadou, chairman, board of trustees of Westfield Clinic, said the board is
grateful to the government and people of Japan for the grant assistance for
grassroots human security project.
The
project supports local non- profit organisations to implement small-scale
projects that directly benefit communities and contribute to the socio-economic
development of The Gambia.
Mr
Tambadou said the project would help the clinic to set up a point of care
laboratory to do quick and easy on-the-spot testing which will help in
diagnosing emergencies quickly and monitor patients with chronic illnesses,
especially diabetes and hypertension better.
