By Binta Jaiteh
The National Assembly’s Select Committee on Gender and Children has raised concerns over neonatal care in The Gambia, revealing that during peak periods, up to four babies may share a single incubator.
The findings come from the committee’s nationwide tour of orphanages, rehabilitation centres, children’s facilities, and the Juvenile Unit. The report was presented on Thursday by Hon. Fatou Cham, a committee member, who said staff at the Edward Francis Small Teaching Hospital admitted that one incubator—and sometimes one radiant warmer—could accommodate as many as four babies at a time during busy periods.
“This is not ideal,” Hon. Cham stated. “But at peak season, it can go up to four babies sharing one incubator.”
The report also highlighted high neonatal mortality rates. Nurses in the Intensive Care Unit explained that many newborns are transferred from other facilities in critical condition, often too late for effective intervention.
“All they can do is stabilize the babies,” the report said. “Additionally, the unit suffers from insufficient equipment. During peak periods, mothers sometimes have to hold their babies on their laps for warmth while waiting for machines to become available. Phototherapy units and incubators are inadequate.”
The nurses revealed that currently, the neonatal unit has only fifteen incubators and a single radiant warmer.
Hon. Cham further highlighted challenges at Tanka Tanka, a critical institution for treatment, rehabilitation, and reintegration, which serves patients from across The Gambia and even neighbouring Senegal and Guinea. At the time of the committee’s visit, she said, the facility had 85 patients but only one social worker.
The committee also observed that a building for male patients had been damaged in a fire caused by a patient attempting suicide and remains unrepaired, creating significant operational challenges. Staffing shortages, lack of essential drugs, inadequate mattresses, and absence of an ambulance compound the facility’s problems.
The committee then recommended that the Ministry of Health should urgently increase the number of incubators and radiant warmers to prevent multiple babies from sharing equipment and ensure timely, safe thermal care. It also called on the Ministry of Gender and the Ministry of Health to guarantee a reliable supply of essential drugs, improve access to medical care, and seek partnerships with philanthropists to address resource and infrastructure shortages.
In addition, the committee urged the expansion of human resources, specialized staff training for complex medical cases, and consistent provision of wheelchairs, medical equipment, and teaching aids. Educational improvements for students with disabilities, repair of damaged buildings, improved sanitation, and better fencing were also recommended to ensure safe and accessible environments for all children.
The report paints a stark picture of systemic neglect and chronic underfunding. The committee stressed that urgent government action is crucial to safeguard the welfare and future potential of the country’s most vulnerable citizens.
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By Binta Jaiteh The National Assembly’s Select Committee on Gender and Children has raised concerns over neonatal care in The…
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