Trust
Bank Gambia Limited Wednesday donated items including detergents, clothing,
shaving machines, plumbing and electrical materials among others, worth
D100,000 to the Tanka Tanka Psychiatric Hospital in Mariama Kunda.
Speaking
at the presentation ceremony held at the hospital conference room, Bai Ibrahim
Sallah, Managing Director of Trust Bank, said their collaboration with the
hospital started in 2014 when the bank saw the need to extend a helping hand to
this health facility.
Trust
Bank was determined to initiate a change and “significant part of that change
is the professionals working tirelessly” to get people back on the road to
recovery, he added.
“I would like to urge the honorable Minister
for Health and Social Welfare to identify those hardworking men and women going
that extra mile to help people with mental health issues, and nominate them for
national awards. We owe it to them to give them the recognition that they
deserve,” the TBL MD said.
MD
Sallah also said the bank would continue to work with the Ministry of Health to
improve mental health services for young people, and also preventing more
people with severe mental health problems from ending up in the streets, in
police cells and prisons.
Dr.
Omar Sey, Minister of Health and Social Welfare, said he was very happy to be
associated with the Trust Bank activities.
He
said the bank had been there for the health sector when there was nothing, and
thanked the bank for their usual support.
He
explained that mental health medication is the most expensive medicine among
the medicines, and that without Trust Bank they would not have been able to
achieve a milestone, while urging all Gambians to bank with Trust Bank.
Also
speaking was Dr Momodou Lamin Waggeh, Director of Health Services, who said
mental health is a top priority on their agenda, and “the Ministry of Health is
doing all it takes” to ensure services are brought to the doorstep of every
Gambian.
According
to Dr. Waggeh, “Trust Bank is an old friend” to the said hospital, as every
year the bank would donate to the hospital through the Ministry of Health.
Omar
Bojang, matron of the hospital, said the hospital started operations since 2008
and harbours 100 patients, for whom they usually provide breakfast, lunch and
dinner.
He
commended his staff for their support, adding that Trust Bank came to their aid
annually after enquiring about their problems.
Bakary
Sonko, programme manager, mental health, chaired the occasion.
