Someone once said that it is cheaper to go to the kitchen than to go to the hospital. He meant that one should do all one could to stay healthy, including taking good meals regularly.
You never know how lucky you are until you fall ill. When you are ill, you have to deplete your savings or borrow money to take care of your medical bills, and because you are too weak to earn more money to do things for yourself, you are always at the mercy of other people. In almost every way, poor health is expensive.
That is why we heartily commend Trust Bank Gambia Limited for its latest move in renovating the entire Leman Street Clinic to the tune of a quarter million dalasis.
At least the people, particularly women and children, will benefit from quality health care system at the renovated clinic, as the bank promised its continuing support for the clinic.
It is important that steps are taken to protect the young ones against endemic diseases, including malaria.
If our children are our future, then providing them with quality, affordable and accessible health care is like taking an insurance policy for a healthy future.
This is how it should be. A responsible institution is obliged to look beyond the immediate and plan ahead for the future. When our children grow up healthy and strong, they will be better able to give their best to the country.
Talking about giving our best to the country, the people in charge of public places, especially health facilities, should always do their utmost best in service delivery. They should be made to understand the importance of the positions they occupy.
While we urge other institutions to emulate Trust Bank, we would like to urge Trust Bank to ensure that no part of the country, however remote, is left out in their gestures to complement the government’s development efforts.
A healthy citizenry is indispensable to progress in all fronts, political, social and economic. A sick nation can hardly make significant progress.
So if we are really desirous of meaningful progress, then no effort should be spared to keep our people well fed and healthy.
“The greatest wealth is health”.
Virgil