By: Dawda Baldeh
Residents of Kerewan Dumbokono in the Central River Region (CRR) are seeking help to finish the construction of their first-ever self-funded health centre which is now at the finishing stage, but work is delayed due to a lack of finance. The health centre, when completed, will put an end to women giving birth on the way before reaching the hospital in Bansang.
Kerewan Dumbokono is 14 kilometres away from Bansang where the main hospital within the region is located. It further lies an estimated 350 kilometres from the capital Banjul, where the country’s main referral hospital is located.
Muhammed Korgura, the Public Relations Officer of the Village Development Committee (VDC), told journalists that the hospital construction began in 2016 to ease the challenges in accessing healthcare for villagers.
“The village is 14 kilometres from Bansang where the main hospital within the region is located. Our people suffer a lot before they access healthcare on time. We decided to start constructing a health centre in the village to help our people,” he said.
Mr Korgura added that sometimes pregnant women will give birth on their way to the hospitals due to the distance and poor roads.
“Some women will lose a lot of blood after giving birth on the way before reaching the hospital. We engaged the hospital authorities in Bansang when we wanted to construct a health centre in the village. They gave us the go-ahead after they saw our plan and they gave us the necessary advice,” he added.
Several speakers buttressed the challenges pregnant women and other patients face in the village and its surrounding in accessing healthcare services.
The villagers said the health centre if completed will be used by the entire community as they are surrounded by nearly fifty villages that are also facing similar problems.
“The work has stopped because of financial constraints. Our main support is from Mawdo Marena, a native of the village who is residing in Germany. He helps us with anything that has to do with finance while we also do the manpower work,” Mr Korgura pleaded.
For his part, Julaba Fatty, the Alkalo of the village said any support from anyone for the construction of the health centre will go a long way in addressing their access to healthcare challenges in the village and its surrounding.
“My people are suffering to access healthcare. Bansang is very far from the village, and this is affecting our people. The hospital will ease the burden on us. The hospital is well-planned, and it is designed in a way that will accommodate many patients. If you have a sick person during the rains if you are not lucky the person will die,” Alkalo Fatty said.
According to the Alkalo, drivers will not transport patients to the village during the rainy season due to the poor roads and patients suffer a lot.
“We have written letters to the government to help us with the necessary equipment if the construction is completed. The construction is almost finished but now we don’t have money.”
The residents are calling on the government, NGOs, and philanthropists to support the finishing of their hospital.
