President Barrow was speaking yesterday during the foundation stone laying for the construction of blocks at School of Enrolled Nurses (SEN) School in Bansang.
Mr. Barrow, who is on a nationwide ‘Meet the People’s Tour’ as annually required by the Gambian Constitution, said the project which would be completed in six months, would consist of nine lecture rooms for the academics side with office and academic building and 25 toilets for the students.
It will also have two dormitory blocks for the first phase of the project.
Barrow further added: “I am happy to be associated with this important project. The laying of the stone is very significant as far as the health sector is concerned. My administration is committed to providing quality health service delivery for Gambian people.”
Providing quality health service for Gambians, he said, is part of the top priorities of the National Development Plans of the country, adding that among these are to make sure each Gambian has access to quality health.
“We also want to build capacity and I am happy to learn that after the completion of the school, the enrollment of the school will increase to 150 students.”
“I have to thank the MRC Holland foundation for the support they are rendering to my administration especially in terms of infrastructural development.
Abdou Sanneh, the principal of School for Enrolled Nurse (SEN) said since its establishment, the school had never undergone any rehabilitation or renovation.
“The school has trained about 1,765 nurses since its establishment and also trained 750 midwives. Due to the limited spaces in terms of classrooms, we couldn’t train more than 100 people yearly.”
Henrietta Sonko, from MRC Holland Foundation, said: “I am very proud to be linked with another important project of the government of The Gambia under the leadership of President Barrow initiated by the Ministry of Health.”
“This is a great development and I am happy that within a month of consultation, we are able to contribute to this great development. The school was going to rent a classroom because there are not enough classrooms and they were going to do everything possible to ensure that nurses are trained,” he revealed.
“If we have the infrastructure that is required, nobody will have to go to the urban areas, hence the people in the urban area will come and meet us here.”
It could be recalled that last week, the Barrow government provided 80 ambulances designed to cover different parts of the country.
The government also is constructing six health centers in the country.
