The official handing over ceremony was held at Sukuta Health Centre and brought together officials from AFRICMED, the government and Sukuta Village Development Committee among others.
According to officials of the health centre, the donation came at the much needed time when they were struggling with health service delivery. They said the health centre was without an ambulance from October 2023 to the date of the donation, as their ambulance was under maintenance.
Dr. Omar Jagne, founder and CEO of AFRICMED International Hospital, said they trained the ambulance driver on how to use the stretcher. He added that the ambulance has an oxygen gas.
“We will also be helping them with the mechanical maintenance when we are doing our own general maintenance for a time,” he assured. However, he said assistance will not last forever.
He urged the health centre management to take good care of the ambulance. He observed that the ambulance would be of good use not only for the people of Sukuta but all residents of The Gambia.
Musa Camara, regional director of health services for Western 1, explained that the health centre is projected to be serving a population of 40,545 with 3 medical doctors, 14 midwives.
He added that the health centre on average, delivers 6 babies daily.
Camara thanked citizens and friends of Sukuta in the Diaspora for their support to the health facility over the years.
Landing Camara, principal nursing officer and officer in charge at the Sukuta Health Center, said: “Statistics have shown that Sukuta Health Centre refers more Road Traffic Accidents (RTA), assault or trauma victims to Ndemban Clinic and Serrekunda General Hospital than any other health facility,” he stated.
“The demand for health needs by the population on the health centre without a functioning ambulance from October to date was a great challenge and burden on the staff,” he admitted.
He thanked the donor for his gesture, noting that the donation is an example of how the private sector can work with government health facilities to find everlasting solutions to their challenges.
