By Nelson Manneh
The Ardeiter-Samariter Bund (ASB) clinic located in Dippa Kunda in the Kanifing Municipality has been reopened by the government.
The clinic was closed early last month and on the 4th of November 2019, the authorities reopened it.
The closure of the clinic came about after a series of complications arising from the clinic resulting in loss of lives were established to be due to the deficiency in the management of the cases.
The Director of Health Services at the Ministry of Health Dr. Mustapha Bittaye said the ASB clinic was reopened after the management of the clinic came to term with the Ministry of health on the reason that led to its closure.
“Since when the Clinic was closed, we have been engaging the management of the clinic with regards to issues that led to the closure of the clinic and they have responded positively” he said.
Dr. Bittaye said the Management of the clinic has been cooperative and has fulfilled the requirement that they were expected to fulfil.
He said as a Ministry, they always consider the quality of facilities and the safety of patients before they allow them to operate.
“We will continue to monitor the ASB clinic and any other clinic to make sure they fulfil the requirements,” he said.
Our readers could recall that the Gambia authorities on Wednesday, 9th October instructed ASB Clinic to close down indefinitely.
The Ministry of Health has been engaging the Management of the ASB clinic and finally came to an agreement which led to its re-opening.
The Management of the clinic was requested to transfer all in-patients to the nearest appropriate health facilities.
Mariama Joof a native of Dippa Kunda who this reporter met at the clinic, said ASB clinic is the nearest clinic to her and all her children were delivered in the clinic.
“Since when it was closed, we were facing difficulties to reach other health facilities, but now we are grateful for its re-opening,” she said.
Madam Joof said it was true that the government was performing its mandate, but they should have notified the general public before its closure.
