As part of activities marking The Gambia's 43rd Independence anniversary, Dr Aja Isatou Njie-Saidy, the vice-president and secretary of state for Women Affairs, on behalf of President Alhaji Dr Yahya Jammeh, on Tuesday laid the foundation stone of a new psychiatric hospital at Salaji Village, Wester Region.

Speaking at the ceremony, Vice President Njie-Saidy said The Gambia in the past 13 years have registered unprecedented progress in the health sector. She said "hospitals have been built where they were non-existent. New heath centres have been built and old ones renovated and equipped. More health workers have been trained, culminating in the creation of a medical school and, marked improvements in health care delivery systems".

According to her, this project is a testimony of government's determination to put mental health at the forefront of the health care agenda. She added that this new facility will provide new and improved accommodation and other vital services for the mentally ill patients and take care of the congestion and other problems presently experienced at the Campama Psychiatric Hospital. She disclosed that the government intends to use all possible means to ensure that resources are available for the improvement of delivery of mental health services.

She further assured that the government through the Department of State for Health and Social Welfare is working very hard with its development partners to ensure among others, that a culture of good practice among the health care workforce and improved state-of-the-art infrastructure are in place.

She thanked Mrs Anne Bowman for tirelessly championing the fund-raising activities towards the establishment of the new psychiatric hospital, as well as her collaborators in Holland. The vice president also thanked the staff of the Department of State for Health and Social Welfare, the RVTH, and the Campama Psychiatric Hospital for their diligence. She  then urged all of them to redouble their efforts to reform and restructure the mental health services and to improve the life of those mental health care users and their families who often suffer in silence.

"Mentally deranged persons are sick people who need care and must be treated as such rather than being despised or stigmatised," she said.

She also urged the contractors and consultants to ensure a timely and efficient execution of the project.

Anne Bowman, who raised the funds for the construction of the hospital, commended their partners for generously providing for the project. She also thanked President Jammeh for allocating the plot of land for the hospital.

Dr Mariatou Jallow, chief medical director of  RVTH, thanked the Gambian leader for bringing health to the doorsteps of all Gambians. She added that the hospital will reduce the burden of the congestion  at Campama.

Hon Fatoumatta Jahumpa-Ceesay, the speaker of the National Asembly, secretaries of state, among other dignitaries attended the ceremony.