Libya donates medical supply to The Gambia

The government of the Gambia yesterday took delivery of a consignment of medical items donated by Libya.

The items loaded in two trucks were presented by the Al-Ghaddafi Project for African youth, children and women, at the Libyan-own Jerma Beach Hotel in Kololi.

The donated medical items include 67 different types of medicines of various quantities, and five different medical instruments, also of various quantities.

Speaking at the presentation ceremony, the Director of Administrative and Financial Affairs of Al-Gathafi Project, Abbas Ahmed Azraig, said they are here to provide humanitarian assistance to Gambians.

“This project was initiated by the Libyan leader Brother Ghaddafi in 2006, to conquer the vices of hunger, ignorance and starvation in Africa,” he said.

According to him, the project aims to upgrade African youth, children and women through active contribution in fighting poverty, hunger and sickness, and to diffuse education, training and culture.

He expressed hope for the relations between the two countries to move from strength to strength.

The Actind Director of Health Services, Dr Adama Demba, thanked the government and people of Libya for the gesture. 

“Drugs are an important component of the country’s drive to offer efficient health care delivery to the people, especially women and children,” she said, adding that if appropriate medicines are donated, it would alleviate some of the problems caused due to drug shortages.

According to her, the drugs donated would contribute towards achieving the MDGs, especially MDG 4 to reduce child mortality and MDG 5 which aims at improving maternal health.

“This will go a long way to support government’s efforts in providing quality health care to Gambians,” continued Ms Demba, who stressed that the government has made free health service delivery to women and children.

“We highly welcome and appreciate this Al-Ghaddafi project, through which effective partnership, coverage and ownership can be achieved,” Ms Demba went on.

She thanked the donors on behalf of the government and Ministry of Health and Social Welfare in Banjul.

“The president has created an enabling environment for this partnership,” she noted.

Yesterday’s presentation ceremony was attended by senior officials from the ministry of Health and the Libyan embassy.

It was graced by the Chief Pharmacist Ms. Markien Janneh Kaira and Muhammad Gamati, deputy Libyan ambassador to the Gambia.