She was speaking yesterday during the presentation of five electronic beds donated to the Bundung Maternal and Child Health Hospital. The hospital beds were donated by the Rohey Malick Lowe Women and Girls Empowerment Initiative. Officials said the donated items are worth over D300,000.
Speaking at the presentation ceremony, Kebba Manneh, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Hospital, said. “Within a matter of 24 hours of communicating with Mayoress Lowe with regard to the hospital needs, we are here today witnessing the handing over of these important items. This clearly indicates that she is so personable passionate about the wellbeing of Gambians people.”
“It’s very important that we have such people in the hospital. It would avail them the opportunity to know what’s happening in the hospital. In fact, it’s the first time a mayor of BCC is visiting the hospital since its establishment. We hope that such a gesture will continue,” he added, noting that the government can’t do it alone.
For her part, Mayoress Rohey Malick Lowe, said “When I heard that the hospital is encountering some challenges especially on hospital beds, I said to myself, we need to do something immediately in addressing the problem. The importance of health can’t be over emphasised. Therefore, anything that is about improving the country’s health sector so that our women and girls can safely deliver is a priority for us.”
“We are aware that we can’t solve all the problems especially when it comes to the health sector. However, we want to be part of the solution and that’s exactly why we are here today. The Rohey Malick Lowe Women and Girls Empowerment Initiative, is making the difference by championing the empowerment of women in the country,” she said, adding that her initiative is also digging boreholes for communities that currently face acute water shortage.
“The initiative is also sponsoring a lot of students in the country and also donating bloods to various hospitals in the country. The initiative and Rafela is here to complement each other in ensuring that women of the country are empowered with a view to enable them partake in nation building,” she posited, urging Gambian women to unite and support each other.
Majula Kinteh, head of the Maternity Unit of the hospital, said: “This is what it takes for a real woman to do for her follow women especially if you are a leader. The gesture from Mayoress Lowe clearly indicates that she doesn’t want to see her fellow women encounter any difficulties more especially when it comes to the health sector. Woman is a mother and a woman is a role model.”
The hospital, she explained, does have about 20 deliveries a day and over 600 deliveries a month. “Even if we have enough beds, the tendency of them going for long periods is very minimal because we are over using them. We are really happy that you came at the right time.”
The hospital spokesperson, Omar Ceesay, described the gesture as a ‘life changing donation’ which will go a long way in providing quality health services for women and children of the country.
Modou Lamin Bah, the spokesperson of BCC, said, Mayoress Lowe is committed to addressing the challenges our health sector encounters. He recalled that Mayoress Lowe recently donated medical items to the Edward Francis Small Teaching Hospital worth over 800, 000 dalasis.
