Her Excellency Madam Zineb Yahya Jammeh made the pledge Monday while presenting biomedical equipments and supplies to health facilities across the country, at a ceremony held at State House grounds in Banjul. The donation, which was described as another manifestation of the First Lady's concern for the nation's healthcare delivery, is earmarked for the seven biggest health facilities in the country: the Royal Victoria Teaching Hospital (RVTH); Bansang Hospital, Jammeh Foundation for Peace Hospital, Sulayman Junkung Jammeh Hospital, AFPRC General Hospital, Serrekunda Hospital; and Sheikh Zayed Regional Eye Centre.

The items are meant for key departments within the hospitals such as internal medicine, surgery including operating theatre, obstetrics and gynecology, radiology and laboratory. Speaking at the presentation ceremony, Madam Jammeh described the donation as a fulfillment of her duty and responsibility as a mother of the nation to support hospitals through giving out such items with a view to enhance quality healthcare delivery for the citizenry.

She said: "We are all aware that ensuring high quality medical services to the populace requires a constant supply of modern and state-of-the-art equipment and medical supplies. As medical technology is improving on a daily basis so is the need to re-equip our medical facilities with these latest equipment to be able to overcome today's medical challenge." The First Lady used the opportunity to speak about some initiatives taken by First Ladies of Africa, reminding the gathering that they [First Ladies of Africa] have since year 2001 to date, united as advocates in the fight against maternal, newborn and child morbidity and mortality, and mother-to-child transmission of HIV infection, which she said has plagued our continent.

"As First Ladies, we have also signed relevant declarations that are in tandem with policies of our respective governments so as to advocate for, and lobby governments to give high priority to the alarming health indicators by ensuring that the required resources are made available on a continuous basis to save lives," she stated. To this end, Madam Jammeh underscored the need to join hands and work harder for the continuous availability of trained and committed health workforce especially in the rural hospitals and health centres if the country is to attain the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) 4, 5 and 6 amongst others. She also thanked her husband, His Excellency President Jammeh and his government for removing the financial barrier to access by declaring a free-of-charge health services for mothers and children below five years of age over the past three years.

Reiterating that the gesture is partly fulfilling her national and regional commitment, and in support of government’s efforts towards the attainment of MDG's 4, 5, and 6 on maternal, newborn and child health, and reduction in HIV'AIDS respectively by 2015, Madam Jammeh expressed optimism that the items will be put into good use for the intended purpose. She concluded by thanking the Ahmad H Hodroj Foundation, the World Medical Relief of Detroit, Michigan, USA for according her Foundation this goodwill gesture.

Delivering the vote of thanks on behalf of the beneficiaries, the chief medical director of the RVTH, Dr Tamsir Mbowe, expressed gratitude and appreciation to the First Lady for her continuous care and support to the health sector. He specifically described Madam Jammeh’s contributions to the areas of maternal and child health, blood donation and the fight against HIV/AIDS as laudable. "In expressing our gratitude to the First Lady, we wish to assure her that these valuable items which to my knowledge are priceless in view of the use to which they will be committed, will be cherished with total care and ensure that maximum benefit is derived from them," he said. Dr Mbowe went on to describe the First Lady as not only a philanthropist but also the "healer of the sick" and a "great mother" of the nation.

Momodou Saidy, press officer at State House, who moderated the presentation ceremony, also acknowledged the continuous support rendered by Madam Jammeh to the health sector. The ocassion was graced by Her Excellency, the vice president of the Republic, Aja Dr Isatou Njie-Saidy, ministers, the chief executive officers of the beneficiary health institutions, and a cross-section of other dignitaries and invited guests.