The community of Batokunku  in Kombo South last Sunday benefited from a donation of medical items from Tujereng/Hertford Shire link for their Health Centre.

The donated items, which include assorted surgical materials, assorted medical items, syringes and needles, assorted dressing packs, plasters, walking sticks, amongst others, were presented to the community, at a ceremony held at the Health Centre.

Speaking at the presentation ceremony, the Chairman of Tujereng/Hertford Shire Link, Mr. Omar Ngum said his link has over the years donated medical items to many Gambian communities, the latest being the one given to communities far from Tujereng and its satellite villages.

While stating that the donation was given to Batokunku Health Centre because it forms part of Tujereng, he said, health is an element that no one can go without. He said the items could have been given to Tujereng Health Centre, but the fact that it is not properly functioning well they decided to give the items to Batokunku.

He urged the staff to be dedicated to their work and make the best use of the donated items. He also called on the management of the Heath Centre to discharge their duties with honesty.

For his part, the Coordinator of the Batokunku Community Health Centre, Mr. Momodou Gassama, commended the donors for what he described as a philanthropist gesture.

According to him, his plans include creating an enabling environment for primary health care services. This, he added, has motivated him to create a nursing training school for about 35 students in various disciplines of health care services, ranging from general nursing, pharmacology, midwifery, public health, community health, among others.

He called for support, especially in the area of water and electricity, which he said, are key elements in providing good health care services.

According to him, they do operations in the centre with the help of generator, which cost them a lot of money. Mr. Gassama also commended the government for allowing him to operate in his own area.

Speaking at the occasion, were the Alkalolu of Tujereng and Batokunku, both of whom, commended the initiation of both the centre and the donation as laudable. They called on the community to support them in realising their objectives.

Other speakers included Mrs. Ellen Carloss, Dr. Samega of Gambia Family Planning Association, Mr. Fabakary Jabang, Chairman of Tujereng VDC, Mr. Janko Jimbara of Medical and Health Services and Mr. Sulu Bojang, a senior student of the centre who delivered the vote of thanks.