By: Momodou Justice Darboe
The Netherlands Foundation for African Child-The Gambian Child-has for the past three years been providing free surgical operations for Gambian children but the charity is currently unsure as to whether or not it could change the lives of around 50 crooked and bowlegged children this December as its consignment of essential medical supplies remained stuck at the Banjul International Airport (BIA).
Last year, the Netherlands Foundation-The Gambian Child- entered into a partnership with a Gambian pharmacy for the importation of medicines such as antibiotics and fluids.
As its annual free surgery, targeting 50 children with leg-related issues draws closer, the foundation approached the pharmacy for the importation of the medicines.
“We ordered some medicines from them and the pharmacy ordered them. That was like two months back. We received the message that the antibiotics and fluids are in the country but the pharmacy could not get them because they are seized at the airport,” Saikou Dahaba of The Gambian Child told The Voice on Saturday.
Mr. Dahaba expressed concern over the possible ramifications of the authorities’ failure to allow the items to pass through the airport.
He stated: “When I write to these people to tell them that there is no medicine, maybe they could say Gambia… there are lots of problems. Maybe, they can change their mind because they are doing this (free surgery) in Sierra Leone and other African countries are also pursuing them so that they can go there to help their children. So, this is a big chance I don’t want Gambia to lose. But the way things are going, it’s really alarming. Still, I cannot tell them these things are in the country but seized by the Gambian authorities.”
Mr. Dahaba said the free surgery project has provided Gambian children and their parents the rarest opportunity for cost-free and life-changing leg surgery.
He, therefore, called on the authorities to release the foundation’s medicines from the airport to enable it to prepare the ground for this year’s operations.
“Last operation project saw up to 20 children operated on, smashing the previous ceiling of 15. More than 50 children came and people are now calling me all the way from Basse. I beg them {authorities} to help the poor,”Dahaba explained.
Meanwhile, the Gambian authorities have yet to give a nod for the release of huge quantities of drugs currently held at the airport.
The medicines were ordered from the US, UK and Europe.
Health ministry sources said the items could not be released to their owners because the Medicines Control Agency (MCA) had to put its house in order following the dismissal of its former top directors.
Fatoumatta Jah-Sowe and Markieu Janneh Kaira were fired last month as recommended by the AKI commission.
