By Yunus S Saliu
Thousands of people from Kaur and surrounding communities benefited from a medical outreach program organised by the Kaur Medical Team in collaboration with the Chosan Charitable Medical Foundation on Saturday, October 3, 2026.
It is the second edition of the medical outreach, held at the Kaur Community Health Centre in the Central River Region, and it brought together about 51 doctors, including specialists and consultants, as well as nurses, laboratory technicians and pharmacists.
The initiative, which started in 2025, aims to give communities in and around Kaur access to specialist medical services not readily available at the local health facility.
Last year’s inaugural outreach attracted more than 3,000 patients, while organisers said this year’s turnout was significantly higher, with patients arriving from Kaur and several surrounding communities.
Speaking during a visit to the outreach, Dr Momodou T. Nyassi, Director of Health Services at the Ministry of Health, who represented the Minister of Health, Dr Momodou Lamin Samateh, commended the Kaur Medical Team, Chosan Medical Foundation, sponsors and volunteers for the initiative.
He said the Minister was impressed that the outreach was not limited to Kaur alone but was serving people from a wider catchment area.
Dr Nyassi said he was particularly impressed with the organisation of the exercise, including cervical cancer screening, outpatient services, orthopaedics, laboratory services and pharmacy.
“Screening for cancer, especially cervical cancer, is very important because early detection allows for early intervention,” he said, stressing the importance of preventive healthcare.
He also disclosed that the Ministry of Health was working to strengthen specialist medical training in the country, including residency programmes supported through World Bank funding. He said the government was also constructing hospitals, which are expected to be completed by early 2027, to improve referral services in the area.
Ebrima C. Saho, Secretary of Chosan, explained that the partnership began following discussions among medical professionals and members of the Kaur community.
He said last year’s outreach demonstrated the importance of bringing specialists to rural communities, particularly after medical personnel attending the event were able to respond to a serious road accident that occurred during the exercise.
According to Saho, the outreach is also important because Kaur Community Health Centre does not have specialists such as orthopaedic surgeons, ophthalmologists and gynaecologists.
He said hypertension was among the major conditions identified during the previous outreach, alongside other conditions linked to diet and lifestyle.
Saho urged people to undergo regular medical check-ups, avoid self-medication and pay greater attention to their diet and water intake.
Dr Muhammed M.K. Janneh, President of Chosan Charitable Medical Foundation and a citizen of Kaur Janneh Kunda, said the initiative was particularly important because Kaur serves several satellite communities and many patients are normally referred to Farafenni or other hospitals for specialist care.
He said the medical team had brought different specialists to Kaur to provide screening, diagnosis and treatment while also referring complicated cases where necessary.
Dr Janneh advised residents to seek medical attention early rather than relying heavily on traditional remedies when they develop health problems.
Karafa Jobarteh, Chairman of the Kaur Medical Team Outreach Programme, said the initiative was conceived by medical professionals from Kaur in consultation with community leaders and Village Development Committees.
He said the organisers expanded the medical team this year after the large turnout recorded during the first edition.
According to Jobarteh, the 2026 outreach involved 51 doctors, 33 nurses, 30 laboratory technicians and 21 pharmacists. He said the initiative had received significant support from Kaur citizens in the diaspora and corporate sponsors.
He specifically acknowledged the support of Trust Bank Gambia Limited, Zenith Bank Gambia Limited, Arab Gambia Islamic Limited and Access Bank Gambia, as well as health institutions that assisted with transportation.
Dr Fatoumatta Jobarteh, a consultant radiologist at the Edward Francis Small Teaching Hospital and volunteer with the Kaur Medical Team, said the outreach provided a range of specialist services, including ultrasound examinations, obstetric and gynaecological scans, soft-tissue scans and other diagnostic procedures.
She noted that the team was also conducting cervical and breast cancer screening as part of the October breast cancer awareness campaign.
Mustapha Saine Khan, a member of the Kaur Village Development Committee, said the outreach was important because rural communities often have limited access to specialist doctors.
The Alkalo of Janneh Kunda, Lamin Janneh, also welcomed the initiative, describing it as a valuable service to the community and surrounding villages.
He urged other communities to emulate Kaur and establish similar initiatives to support rural healthcare delivery.
Patients from different communities attending the free medical service applauded the organiser and want it to continue.