14th November 2003:

The First Lady Madam Zainab Jammeh on Friday donated an assortment of food stuff, laundry soap and toys to the Royal Victoria Teaching Hospital and the Serrekunda health centre. At the Royal Victoria Teaching Hospital, the First Lady visited the Maternity and Paediatric wards. She was taken on a conducted tour of the facilities, where she spoke to and interacted with patients most of whom were women.

The First Lady advised them to always visit their nearest health facilities to protect their own health and the health of their babies. Madam Zainab Jammeh also inspected the new four-million dalasi extension block aimed at mitigating congestion and overcrowding at the Paediatric ward.

The project is being sponsored by Standard Chartered Bank and is expected to be completed in a matter of weeks. Madam Jammeh thanked the bank for such an undertaking in complimenting government's efforts in the health sector. Bank officials informed the First Lady that the bank is involved in several other humanitarian programmes as part of its social responsibilities.

Madam Zainab Jammeh also visited the Serrekunda health centre, where she was taken on a conducted tour of the facilities. She was accompanied on the tour by the Secretary of State for Health and Social Welfare Dr. Yankuba Kassama.

Dr. Kassama disclosed that a major hospital under construction in Serrekunda would be completed in the near future. He said once that hospital becomes operational, it would mitigate the current problems of congestion and overcrowding and that the Serrekunda health centre would be turned to a poly clinic.