A source (name withheld) told this medium that the theatre room in the said health facility is well furnished with the needed medical apparatus for surgery and other medical conditions, but it is now a white elephant due to the lack of a medical doctor.
“There are lots of medical apparatus in the theatre room but as much as we do not have a medical doctor, they remain useless. This nightmare has hindered our work severely. We definitely need a medical expert within us,” the source added.
It could be recalled that on 13th October, 2018 the University of The Gambia graduated 22 Medical Students into the Medical profession in the quest to improve the country`s Health Sector. However, the Kuntaur Major Health Centre still lacks a medical doctor.
Reacting to this health catastrophe, Maimuna Barry, lady councilor for the Niani district expressed concern over the lack of a medical doctor in the health facility. She said people of Kuntaur and the satellite communities are severely affected by this shortage of a doctor of medicine in the health centre.
She indicated noted that patients with critical condition or pregnant women are always referred to either Bansang or Farafenni Hospitals for treatment owing to the lack of a medical doctor in the health facility.
“Some pregnant women often lose their babies before reaching the hospitals because of the long distant to the hospitals. The distant between Kuntaur Major Health Centre and Bansang Hospital is approximately 50 kilo meters with a crossing point at Laminkoto- Janjanbureh. While the distant between Kuntaur and Farafenni Hospital is about 50 kilo meters”.
Accordingly, she said patients in critical condition as well as pregnant women find very difficult to reach these hospitals for medical reasons.
“I have complained this matter to President Barrow and the former Health ministers in series of meetings. They all promise to bring a medical doctor to the health centre but yet the promises are not fulfill,” she sorrowfully told this reporter.
The lady councillor thus called on government to deploy a medical doctor to the health facility with urgency in order to save lives.
This reporter contacted the governor of CRR, Sheriff Abba Sanyang in order to get his view on this matter, but said he cannot speak to a journalist on phone.
Modou Njai, director of health promotion said he does not have much idea concerning the lack of a medical doctor at the said health facility so referred this medium to the CRR health director.
Meanwhile, our efforts to reach Mr Dawda Sowe, director of health for CRR remained futile at the time of going to press.
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