By Nelson Manneh
The National Assembly Member for Banjul North Constituency, Honourable Modou Lamin B Bah, has gone beyond his legislative duties by donating vital medical equipment and supplies to the Edward Francis Small Teaching Hospital (EFSTH), the country’s main referral facility.
Honourable B Bah, who also serves as Vice Chairperson of the National Assembly’s Health Committee, said the donation is part of his commitment to support healthcare delivery at the institution, which continues to receive patients from across The Gambia.
“As a lawmaker, I don’t think my service should end at only legislating laws but should also extend to providing support to institutions like the main referral hospital,” Honourable Bah said. “We don’t want to see patients without beds. We want to make sure that all patients admitted here have beds and access good healthcare services.”
The Edward Francis Small Teaching Hospital, established in 1853 by the British colonial government, is the oldest and largest hospital in the country. Formerly known as the Royal Victoria Teaching Hospital (RVTH), it was renamed in 2013 in honor of Edward Francis Small, a pioneering Gambian politician and activist. The hospital became a teaching facility in the 1990s to reduce the country’s reliance on foreign doctors. Over the years, EFSTH has benefitted from donations by organizations such as the World Health Organization and has recently undergone renovations to improve its facilities and technology.
Receiving the donated equipment, Dr. Cherno S. Jallow, Deputy Chief Medical Director at EFSTH, expressed gratitude on behalf of the hospital management. “We are very grateful to Honourable Bah as this equipment will help us in our quest to deliver quality service,” Dr. Jallow said. “The hospital cannot do it alone, which is why we continue to encourage private organizations and individuals who have the means to support the hospital to do so.”
Honourable Bah stressed that the donation is a step toward ensuring that the hospital continues to provide quality services to Gambians, adding that the health and well-being of citizens must remain a top priority.
