Methodist Connexional Youth Choir (MCYC) of the Methodist Church (The Gambia), on 29 October 2011, visited and donated to the children wing of the Royal Victoria Technical Hospital (RVTH) in Banjul.
The donated items included milk powder, omo, sugar, biscuits, and sweet bread.
Speaking at the handing-over ceremony, Priscilla Allan, secretary of the association, said their association consists of fifty young people from different Methodist Church in The Gambia.
“What we do is that every year we organise a concert to raise funds,” she stated.
According to her, this year in May, they organised a galla dinner as part of their fund-raising activities, adding that the purpose of their fund-raising show was to share the benefits with the needy.
For the youth coordinator, Rachel Heffner, they are pleased with opportunity to come and visit the children and hear their problems and challenges.
She said her association is ready to help the children’s wing.
In his remarks, Gorge Dunn, Director of MCYC, said the association has been established for thirteen years now, adding that this was their first outreach pact and have decided to give a helping hand to the children’s wing.
In receiving the donors at the nutrition units, Fama Gaye, the nurse in charge, said he was
delighted, noting that this was a good initiative in the right direction.
She said that they have five nurses running the nutrition unit.
What they do is to take care of the children by feeding them with milk, as well as macro-nutrients to evaluate and improve in their nutrition status.
Malnutrition, she said, is not a disease rather a social forum.
She calls on the general public to go to the media for more sensitization for enough man-power on the important malnutrition.
She noted that child groups ranging from 0-6 months are more affected with malnutrition in which they and the MCHs have a role to play.
Madam Gaye appeals to NGOs, government, and the general public for more lab equipment, weight scales among others.
“It is very difficult to diagnose when there is no proper investigation,” the nurse said, adding that young persons visiting the hospital are very important, she remarked.
Amadou Jallow, a nurse also made similar sentiments noting that sever mal-nutrition can posed to serious health disease like TB, and HIV/AIDS.
The youth group paid visit to most of the paediatric units at the hospital to discuss with patients and pray for their health.