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Introduction The Bob Powell's Gambia Schools and
Health Project Ongoing is an independent, non-political,
non-governmental organisation that has been set up to
cooperate with development partners such as international
and regional organisations, government and other
non-government agencies, the private sector and
individuals who devote their resources and efforts towards
the development of education, health and agriculture, the
three vital sectors of The Gambia's soci0-economic
structure.
Goal
Mr Robert (Bob) Powell, in his desire to see health not
only in Great Britain but in The Gambia and the world at
large, found it necessary to establish a charitable
organisation for health, education and agriculture.
Mr Powell believes that genuine and sustainable health is
only attainable where there is a basic knowledge and food
security as direct contributions towards the maintenance
and stabilising of human health. This philanthropist
organisation was born with this goal.
The health of the people is the foundation upon which
the survival and development of a Nation depends.
The high morbidity and mortality among Gambian children is
a major concern.
The objectives of the organisation include:
- To support and encourage self reliance development
in the field of health;
- To support and promote programmes directed at
reducing the high proportion of morbidity and mortality
amongst children, women and the public at large;
- Support and promote programmes directed at reducing
the prevalence of malaria amongst pregnant women and
children. Acute respiratory track infections,
diarrhoea and malnutrition among children;
- Support and promote programmes on environmental
sanitation and better waste disposal and management;
- Support and promote the expansion of rural water
supply;
- To empower communities to plan and implement their
own development programmes with aview to achieving
development and self-sufficiency;
- To work towards access to health care for all.
Sponsorship of the Jammeh Foundation Hospital
Whilst the Government will ensure development of good
public health services, the Bob Powell Charity
organisation, as a non-governmental organisation, aims to
complement Government's efforts in this venture. The
founder and chairman being very much aware of the needs of
the large urban poor in the Greater Banjul area, and
considering the large concentration of the population in
the Serekunda area, fond the need to contribute to
healthcare by sponsoring JFP General Hospital in Bandung,
within the Greater Serekunda area.
The Jammeh Foundation Hospital commenced work over two
years ago, providing the essential health services to a
large population. The commencement of outpatient
services at the Jammeh Foundation Hospital brought
significant reduction in the outpatient pressure at both
Serekunda and Faji Kunda health centres.
Presently, the hospital only provides the following
services:
- General outpatient services
- Maternal and child health care
The desire is to deliver the following additional
services:
- Basic surgical services
- Basic obstetric and gynaecological services
- Radiological services
- Assisted delivery services
- Laboratory services
- Inpatient services - 60 beds
- Pharmacy services
- Blood transfusion services
And the following support services:
- Laundry
- Catering
- Mortuary
- Sterilisation services
- General administration
This can only be achieved pending availability of
funding.
Support to other initiatives
There are various communities and youth groups sending
in proposals to our office requesting support for their
own initiatives in the area of health care and sanitation.
Many of these initiatives are within the objectives of the
Jammeh Foundation and with a little support a lot can be
achieved. Some sample requests are given below:
Kubuneh Community - seeking support for a solar
pumping system for their Community Health Centre,
estimated at £2,800.
The Noble Pursuit Organisation - seeking support
for a waste management project in the Greater Banjul area,
estimated at £2,500.
Bundung London Youth and Children Association -
seeking support for their community programmes on
HIV/AIDS, drug abuse, malaria, teenage pregnancy, skin
bleaching etc., estimated at £3,250.
Siyoni Naneto Village Development Committee -
seeking support to construct a permanent health post.
The village is centrally located in Kombo Central District
and it is connected to ten other villages with a total
population of over 20,000 (twenty thousand) people.
None of these surrounding villages have a basic health
facility and they all travel to Brikama Health Centre,
which is 3 kilometres away from the nearest village and 12
kilometres away from the most distant village. The
village youths constructed one health post out of mud and
thatched (grass) roof in the past, but it collapsed during
the past rainy season. The area now being used gives
no privacy for all patients being attended to. The
villagers are seeking for material assistance from a Good
Samaritan to build a solid infrastructure that can stand
the test of time. The villagers shall provide all
the labour required and the total material cost is
estimated at Great Britain Pound Sterling £8,750.
However, the Village Development Committee (VDC) has made
it a condition upon themselves that the Health Post, if
reconstructed, shall be named after any person or
institution that may sponsor the construction materials
and/or medical supplies. |
Bob
Powell's Gambia Health and Schools Project Ongoing is a registered Gambian
charity incorporated under the Companies Act 1955: No.981/2003