Gambian
private commercial bank, Trust Bank limited, yesterday donated sanitary materials worth two hundred thousand dalasi to Tanka Tanka psychiatric hospital
in Mariama Kunda.
The
materials included detergents and electrical and plumbing materials to furnish
the hospital, which is expected to improve the health conditions of the
mentally ill people.
Ebrima
Sallah, Managing Director of the bank said the objective of their corporate
social responsibility is to bring hope where there is despair, adding that the
program is grounded on the principles of sharing and caring.
He
said the donation is a great way to give back to the community, saying mental
health challenge is one of the most critical health problems and amongst the
least understood. “It affects more and more people, and cause untold sufferings
to the families of the affiliated. It is a draw back on our human resource and
constitutes a financial drain upon both the public and family finances,” he
said.
Mr
Sillah said for a nation to live up to its own standards of compassion and
dignity, mentally ill people should not be neglected in societies. He described
mental health service delivery all over the world as a far cry from being
satisfactory compared to physical health.
He
said the donation is a continuation of a journey that they started several
years ago with the objective of complimenting government efforts of improving
the lives of people with mental health problems.
He
conveyed the company’s appreciation to the Ministry of Health and Social
welfare and the board and management of Tanka Tanka, reiterating their
commitment to further strengthen the partnership between the company and the
hospital.
Kebba
Sanneh, Public Relations officers of Edward Francis Small Teaching Hospital
thanked Trust Bank for coming to their aid in taking cooperate social
responsibility to complement government efforts. “This is one of its kind.
Health care is very expensive and there is no free medical care around the
world,” he said.
He
described the gesture as exemplary; hoping that other institutions and
organizations will be motivated by the step Trust Bank has taken to improve the
health of the mentally ill.
Modou
Lamin Barrow, departmental matron at psychiatric hospital said Trust Bank is
like a family to the hospital and a partner. He said the materials would be put
into good use, noting that it couldn’t have come at a better time when the
hospital needed them most.
He
also thanked the Bank for the help they have been rendering to the hospital for
the past years.
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