By Dawda Baldeh
Staff of Bundung Maternal and Child Health Hospital are demanding the unconditional return of Kebba Manneh, the Chief Executive Officer of the Hospital who was recently transferred to Bwiam General Hospital. At a press conference held at the health facility in Bundung on Tuesday 5th April 2022, the staff expressed concerns over the transferred of Mr. Manneh who served as the hospital’s CEO for nearly two decades.
Senior Public Relation Officer, Omar Ceesay said the transfer of the CEO will have a huge negative impact on service delivery in the hospital, adding that Mr. Manneh had worked greatly in the transformation of the hospital.
“Since the news broke out, a task force of Heads of Units/Departments was formed with the sole aim of engaging the Minister of Health to reconsider his decision and let the staff continue working with the CEO to continue delivering quality health care services to women and children of The Gambia,” he said.
Fatoumata Nyalin Saidykhan, a retired health worker at the Bundung Maternal and Child Healthcare Hospital explained the contributions of Mr. Manneh to development of the health facility.
“I have never worked anyone like Kebba,” Madam Saidykhan said. “He was very down to earth. I have worked with him for some years he has so much respect for elders and his staff. He has done a lot in the hospital and transferring him is not a good decision. Whatever you see in this hospital was due to Kebba’s commitments in serving the nation. He helped many staff to obtained scholarships.”
Awa Jassey, a patience at the hospital, called on authorities to return Mr. Kebba to the hospital.
“I am urging the government to return Kebba to the hospital. Kebba has been very instrumental in the service delivery of the hospital. He always interacts with the patients before attending to their needs.”
Saikou Sonko, a resident of Sukuta who has been accompanying his wife to the hospital said the transfer of Kebba to Bwiam was not a good decision, adding that Kebba has been instrumental in the hospital.
“The hospital has protocols that any woman who came with her husband for nursing will be given privilege to be attended first,” he said. “Kebba has been very supportive to the patients who are coming to this hospital. The hospital was recommended to me by a friend but since I started coming here with my wife I have seen the great work they have been doing. The decision to transfer Kebba is not a good one.”
The transfer of Mr. Kebba to Bwiam General Hospital has been frowned at by staff and patients who described him as a hardworking, generous and dedicated man, and therefore demand his unconditional return.
