Culled from the Daily Observer of Friday, February 1, 2002 by Sait Ceesay.

As people give their assessment of the year 2001 and resolutions for the New Year 2002, staffs of the Royal Victoria Hospital (RVH) have been given a clean bill of health for performing “exceptionally good” during the year under review.

Speaking to the Daily Observer, patients and management alike praised the nurses, doctors as well as the cleaners working at the RVH for their good work.

Joanna Mendy, a patient, hailed the RVH staff for what she called real humanitarian work. “They are just great! They have the determination and zeal to help patients”.

Jainaba Jallow also a patient said, “We are very pleased with the quality of health services being offered by the men and women of our health sector. They are just great”. She also praised the RVH management for what she called “good leadership skills”. “Though the nurses, doctors and cleaners on the ground are extremely hardworking, the management also deserves to be congratulated for giving good and effective directives”, she reasoned.

For Yankuba Dampha, the few days he was at the RVH were just memorable. “As I looked after my brother in the ward, nurses and doctors were just coming in and out of the wards looking and asking about their patients. They were really concerned”, he remarked.

12-year-old Michael Ceesay also mentioned his satisfaction, “In my opinion, the staff of the RVH deserve commendation for all their services over the year”. He also added that, “regardless of the number of challenges they face from the patients, they (RVH staff) proved to be real professionals in their own right as they offered classic humanitarian services to us”. Michael was confident in what he said about the RVH staff, challenging skeptics to visit the RVH on a fact-finding mission to see for him or herself. “I am very impressed with them”, he boasted.

For the ground staff, though the year has been very tough, challenging and hectic in all circles, a lot of the praises they received were dedicated to their management and the ministry at large.

“We are very grateful for the praises from the patients. However, we are dedicating the pride to the hospital management and the Ministry of health at large”, they concurred.

Speaking to the Daily Observer earlier, Chief Executive, Dr. Forbes, described the hospital ground staff (nurses, doctors and cleaners) as working “exceptionally good” for the past years. “ They are committed and ready to work very hard as they prepare to render medical services to the public”. She also thanked all those who made it possible (Government, donors and patients) for the RVH to serve its mandate to their satisfaction.

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This, my friends, is the reality on the ground. Contrary to what the prophets of doom have been trying to sell to us here. We have all seen some of baseless allegations about medical and health delivery in The Gambia. Most of those who made these allegations did not base them on any proof. Rather, they relied on empty rhetoric and unfounded accusations. 

Have a good day, Gassa.