Chief Medical Director of the EFSTH, Dr. Ajafari, receiving the donated items from Mahawa Njie, an Administrator at Stop Step Pharmacy.
By Fatou Sillah
Stop Step Pharmacy on Wednesday donated D1.3 million worth of medicine to the Edward Francis Small Teaching Hospital (EFSTH) as part of its corporate social responsibility (CSR) contribution to health care facilities in the country.
The donation was made at a ceremony held at the EFSTH in Banjul. Speaking at the ceremony, Mahawa Njie, an Administrator at Stop Step Pharmacy, said the donation was made in response to the hospital’s need for medical supplies.
“The Hospital cannot run without medicine. We all know that the hospital will close without medicine. This is the reason we brought in this donation to the hospital so that it will not close. This is the first time Stop Step is bringing medicine to the EFSTH, but this is not the first time Stop Step is doing such donation to hospitals around The Gambia,” he said.
Mr Njie further stated that Stop Step Pharmacy has been donating to hospitals across the Country.
“We have been donating to Faji Kunda Health Center, Bijilo Health Center, Bundung Maternal and Child Health Center and also to the Central Medical Store. I want to assure EFSTH that this is the first time, but it will definitely not be the last time. We all know that we are faced with a lot of challenges as far as pharmaceutical products are concerned. We all know the shortages of medicines, and this is why Stop Step took it as our responsibility to donate several pharmaceutical products to the Hospital,” he said.
The Chief Medical Director of the EFSTH, Dr. Ajafari, thanked Stop Step Pharmacy for the gesture and assured them that the medicines would be put to good use.
“Today is a very good day for us. Everybody knows that medication is very important for the hospital and the patients. You cannot run any hospital without medication. Today I am very happy, thank you Stop Step. Today we are proud, and every Gambian should be proud. This medication is very important for the patients, and it will go directly to them,”
The medicines donated to the hospital included antimalarials, cough syrups, amoxicillin, and ampicillin.
The donation by Stop Step Pharmacy is a welcome development. It is a clear demonstration of the company’s commitment to CSR. The donation will go a long way in helping to improve the quality of care that is provided to patients at the EFSTH.