By Rohey Jadama and Sailu Bah The Serekunda General Hospital at Kanifing was officially inaugurated at a ceremony presided over by the Vice President Madam Isatou Njie Saidy on Tuesday, 14th October, 2014. The event is said to be part of the activities marking the celebration of the 20 anniversary of the APRC government. In his welcoming remark, Mr. Yankuba Colley, the Mayor of Kanifing Municipal Council (KMC) and Chair of the Serekunda General Hospital Management Board, said the facility has started operations since April 2010 when the first patients were seen and treated as outpatient admission began in June 2010. He said the hospital has a bed capacity of 130 and about 100% of the bed space is now occupied and it is the 7th general hospital. The Board Chair said the hospital now enjoys the services of the home grown doctors who were trained in the University of The Gambia and are working and taking residential calls in this hospital and have different skills. He said the hospital receives support from various philanthropists and institutions. The Board Chair noted that the hospital is also faced with constrains. “The CEO is without an official vehicle and have to use an ambulance which is meant for the referral of patients to execute his duties, old vehicles for ambulance and utility which serves for 10 years, under subverted, shortage of surgical and medical equipment, lack of private block. The intensive care unit with a limited space, poor space for medical Records Office,” disclosed Mr. Colley. In her inaugural statement, the Vice President, Madam Isatou Njie Saidy, deputizing President Jammeh, described the day as another important milestone anal in the history of the infrastructural development in the Gambia. She reaffirmed the government’s continuous support to the health sector. “To ease the burden of overseas treatment, the Government facilitated and hosted medical and surgical experts from the Taiwanese medical team, Netherlands, Canada and recently a Spanish medical team. This has helped in easing the expenses of overseas treatment”, remarked VP Njie Saidy. She said her government places a high priority on the health sector. She said it is important to note their interventions in the sector which included the construction and completion of four new minor Health Centers in Kafuta, Albreda, Foday Kunda and Sara Kunda. The Ceremony was attended by Cabinet Ministers, the Speaker of the National Assembly and National Assembly Members, the Chief Justice, Board Members of Serekunda General Hospital, as well as the Staff of the Hospital and other guests. ]]>
