A one year-long pilot Emergency Maternal and Child Health Care project, last week started at the Brikama Health Centre in Western Region. The project is a combination of four agencies- including Department of State for Health, Child Health Advocacy International, and the World Health organisation- working together to help reduce problems associated with emergencies in mothers, pregnant mothers, babies and children in The Gambia.

Commenting on the project at a press conference at DOSH, on Friday, Professor David Southall, Honourary Medical Director of Child health Advocacy International in UK, said the main aim of the project is to first strengthen the human resources- doctors, nurses and other health workers- who are looking after mothers, women, and children from the community. He said the project also targets traditional birth attendance right through the higher hospital in Banjul. “This is where most maternal mortality in this country occurs. Another is the issue of haemorrhage. We have a major problem with mothers dying because of haemorrhage- usually after birth or sometime during pregnancy,” he said.

“We are focusing most of our attention on the Brikama, a major health centre,” he said, adding that “what we are trying to do with help of WHO, is to refurbish some aspect of Brikama Health Centre. These aspects include the emergency care areas, and the emergency care area for admission for children”.

As a result, Professor Southall disclosed that six medical consultants will be dispatched to The Gambia for a major “degree of training health workers in The Gambia”.

He then pointed out that most of the works are undertaken by volunteers from UK. “These are senior doctors and nurses who are willing to come to The Gambia to do the training. We also have two doctors here, who are pediatrician from the UK and will work for four months at the Brikama Health Centre,” he explained.

He then told journalists that a similar project was conducted in Pakistan and lasted for three years. He also mentioned that the project includes blood transfusion services. “So what we are trying to do is to help and sustain and improve the blood transfusion services in this country, because if you are bleeding to death, you need blood. It is vital, if we want to stop mothers and children dying,” he noted.

Dr Tamsir Mbowe, Secretary of State for Health and Social Welfare, expressed appreciation to His to President Yahya Jammeh for creating the conducive environment that has encouraged Dr David and his team to implement the project. “The President has personally donated a brand new new ambulance. This again, demonstrates the interest our leader has for the well being of The Gambia,” he said.

Health Secretary Dr Mbowe, a practicing gynaecologist, also thanked the leadership at the WHO Country Office for its support, as well as other partners.

He said Brikama was identified for being the biggest catchment area. However, he asserted that it is the aim of the government to replicate the project across the country, adding that “the programme could be extended to five years”.

Ramou Cole-Ceesay, Head of Reproductive Health Unit at RVTH, described the project as a breakthrough, saying “it’s complementary to the National Reproductive Health Policy”. She said the project will improve efforts geared towards the survival of mothers and children in The Gambia.

Dr Ella, a pediatrician at the National Blood Transfusion Service in the UK and member of the team, expounded on the need for more people to donate blood in order to save lives.