Dr Tamsir Mbowe, Secretary of State for Health and Social Welfare has said that The Gambia government is committed to equiping Traditional birth attendants with new knowledge and life saving skills to deal with common emergencies of pregnancy, childbirth processes and  newborn babies.

The Savvy Health Secretary of State made these remarks at the opening of a week long training of Traditional birth attendants in the catchment area of the Brikama Major Health Centre in Brikama on Friday. He said the complications of pregnancy, childbirth and the postpartum period remain the greatest threat to the lives and well-being of women and girls worldwide.

Mr. Mbowe advised families, communities and health systems to work in unison so as to minimize life-long illnesses or death in the process of bringing life.

It is against this background that The Gambia Government is a signatory to relevant international agreed treaties and protocols for accelerated action on maternal, newborn and child morbidity and mortality at country level.

The TBA training is one of several key activities under the emergency maternal and child health project which focuses on 3 major interventions that are interdependent and are relevant for the reduction of maternal, newborn and child morbidity and mortality. According to  Dr Mbowe, this will contribute to the attainment of MDGs 4+5 on child and maternal mortality reduction by the year 2015.

It is worthy of mention that His Excellency Dr Alhagie Yahaya AJJ Jammeh has allocated a brand new ambulance equipped with first aid facilities to be manned by two trained Nurse-Midwives for the prompt evacuation of material and newborn emergencies from your communities to Brikama Major Health Centre” he said.

For her part, Aja Abie Khan, Officer in Charge, regional health team in Western Region said  the training of TBAs on Emergency maternal and  Child Health Care is of paramount significance to the health care service delivery in the country. “Most of the deliveries in this country occur in the communities. Therefore training TBAs to be able to responsd to such emergencies faced by pregnant women, is a step in the right direction.

After series of consultations with our collaborators CAI-UK an agreement was reached to support the government in her quest to improve on maternal and Child health Care service.  CAI assisted in the area of training nurses, doctors and instructors in emergency maternal and  child health in order to address issues of emergencies during pregnancy, labour and even after child birth .”

Abdou FM Badjie, Governor of Western Region also speaking at the ceremony  said his Office is well informed of the  Emergency maternal and  Child health Project. He said his office  will continue to offer relevant support for its success with a view to accelerating the reduction of maternal, newborn and child illnesses and death resulting from complications of pregnancy, childbirth and thereafter.

Thus, my office in collaboration with the Brikama Area Council was able to provide 24 hours security services for the Brikama Health Centre and staff following discussions with the Hon. Secretary of State for Health & Social Welfare, Dr. Tamsir Mbowe and follow-ups by the Head of the National Reproductive & Child Health (RCH) Programme, DoSH, Mrs. Ramou Cole-Ceesay,” he said.

He also  appealed to Professor David Southal to mobilize volunteer Doctors and Nurse Midwives from UK with the relevant expertise and of good character to help strengthen staff gaps at the Health Centre for quality patient outcomes.”