The second edition of the Kaur Medical Outreach has recorded a massive turnout, with over 5,000 patients from Kaur and surrounding communities accessing free specialist medical services.
Held on Saturday, 3rd October, 2026 at the Kaur Community Health Centre in the Central River Region, the outreach is an initiative of the volunteer-led Kaur Medical Team in collaboration with the Chosan Charitable Medical Foundation (CCMF) - a Gambian non-profit founded in November 2013 to deliver free medical care to vulnerable communities.
This year’s edition mobilized over 51 medical personnel, including specialists, consultants, nurses, laboratory technicians and pharmacists, to bridge the specialist gap in rural Gambia.
Programme Director of the Chosan Charitable Foundation, Ebrima Sisawo, said the outreach was conceived to address the acute shortage of specialists in rural areas.
“The idea behind the mission is that most rural communities are unfortunate when it comes to specialists such as orthopaedic surgeons, consultants, ophthalmologists and gynaecologists. In many facilities, there are only nurses and midwives, and they find it difficult to handle certain critical cases,” Sisawo explained.
He recalled that last year’s edition proved its value when the medical team responded to a serious road accident that occurred during the exercise. He noted a significant increase in turnout this year, adding that hypertension was the dominant condition recorded last year, alongside other diet and lifestyle-related ailments.
He urged residents to go for regular medical check-ups, avoid self-medication and pay greater attention to diet and water intake.
Chairman of the Kaur Wharf Town Village Development Committee (VDC), Mustapha Saine Cham, described the outreach as critical, noting that rural settlements often struggle to access doctors for prevailing diseases.
President of CCMF and native of Kaur Janneh Kunda, Dr. Muhammed M.K. Janneh, said Kaur serves as a hub for many satellite villages that rely on Farafenni and Bansang for referrals due to lack of personnel.
“Currently we have all varieties of medical specialists to screen patients, advise them on what they need and chart the way forward for their health,” Dr. Janneh said.
He noted a shift in disease patterns, with flu and skin conditions in children becoming more prevalent than malaria in the past three years, and advised residents to seek early medical attention rather than relying heavily on traditional remedies.
Coordinator of the Kaur Medical Team Outreach Programme, Karafa Jobarteh, said the programme was conceived by doctors who are natives of Kaur in consultation with community leaders and the VDC.
“Kaur being at the centre of the region, we thought it prudent to stage the event here to attract people from across the region. From Farafenni to Lamin Koto in Central River Region North, there is no sitting medical doctor, so an initiative like this helps bridge the gap,” Jobarteh said.
He commended Kaur natives in the diaspora, corporate sponsors, the Edward Francis Small Teaching Hospital and all partners who supported the event.
Consultant Radiologist at the Edward Francis Small Teaching Hospital and volunteer with the team, Dr. Fatoumatta Jobarteh, said the outreach provided specialist services including ultrasound examinations, obstetric and gynaecological scans, soft-tissue scans and other diagnostic procedures, as well as cervical and breast cancer screening as part of the October breast cancer awareness campaign.
Alkalo of Janneh Kunda, Lamin Janneh, welcomed the delegation and described the initiative as a valuable service, urging other communities to emulate Kaur.
Director of Health Services at the Ministry of Health, Dr. Momodou T. Nyassi, who represented the Minister of Health, hailed the initiative and said the Minister was impressed that the outreach served not only Kaur but a wider catchment area.
“Screening for cancer, especially cervical cancer, is very important because early detection allows for early intervention,” Dr. Nyassi stressed.
He disclosed that the Ministry is strengthening specialist medical training through World Bank-supported residency programmes and constructing hospitals expected to be completed by early 2027 to improve referral services in Central River Region North.
This year’s outreach offered over 5,000 patients a rare opportunity to be examined and treated by specialist doctors free of charge.
