Editorial

Our friends, the Indians are in town with the hope of establishing a super-specialty hospital for The Gambia. The team of medical experts from India yesterday engaged the vice president in talks to that effect. India’s revolution in science and technology is an open secret and the same stands true for Gambia’s strong desire to produce a healthy nation.After constructive engagements, we are optimistic that the green light would be given for the construction and subsequent operation of this super-specialty hospital.

The significance of a super-specialty hospital, which is slightly different from an ordinary hospital in terms of equipment and technology, cannot be over-stressed. It is obvious that the most efficient resource for producing the sustainable socio-economic transformation of any nation is a healthy populace. In fact, the health status of the people of any given nation is in itself an indicator of growth and progress since it can be a parameter to gauge the participation of their development process.

As such, having a super-specialty hospital in The Gambia to deal with special and chronic cases can therefore be regarded as an investment in sustainable development.Whilst we thank the Indians for eyeing The Gambia to host such a magnificent hospital, we are convinced that the government would give them all the necessary support and cooperation once preliminary work is satisfactory, as it has the health concerns of the populace as its utmost priority.The rapid expansion of hospitals across the country equipped with modern medical facilities and highly trained doctors is a testimony to this reality.  

Development is not an end in itself; it is a means to achieving an end. As such, its process is gradual. We have to understand that the government alone cannot accomplish such a task. The intervention of other partners and stakeholders is fundamental. President Jammeh for instance is doing everything possible to ensure that The Gambia moves towards a healthy nation. Complementing his efforts in that respect is in the best interest of nation building. It is in this respect that the Indians are highly welcome.