 | | "You
can make a small difference." Anita Smith | | Your
generosity is helping patients at Bansang |
GAMBIA
HOSPITAL In 2006 presenter David Whiteley and the Inside Out
East team went to The Gambia in West Africa. We told the story of Anita
Smith from Kettering, who has devoted her life to running a charity for a hospital
in the remote inland town of Bansang. There was a huge response to the
programme from viewers 聳 more than 拢50,000 was donated as well as sponsorship.
Inside Out decided that we should return to Bansang to show what a difference
has been made. Making an impact The
first impressions were such a contrast to the previous year when work had begun
on a new children聮s unit - now it is completed. Gambia
fact file | The Gambia is
situated on the West African coast. One and a half million people live there.
They rely on three government run hospitals for health care. Life
expectancy is 54 years (men) and 57 years (women). Bansang
Hospital is situated in the African bush, 200 miles from the coast. It is a small
160 bed facility built by the British in 1938. The hospital
provides for the health needs of 600,000 Gambians. Extra pressure comes with the
arrival of patients from Senegal, Mali, Guinea and refugees from Sierra Leone. Successive
Governments have tried to offer the health service as much resources as possible.
But the economy just does not generate enough money to satisfy demands. Source:
Bansang Hospital Appeal and UN. |
There are separate wards
for surgical cases and children with infectious diseases, and there is also an
isolation ward. A playroom, sponsored by a couple from Northamptonshire,
is stocked with toys from England and staffed by play nurses. Their job
is to use play therapy to help young children recover 聳 toys and music can
stimulate patients even if they are very sick with diseases such as malaria. One
of the biggest challenges for any hospital in the developing world is to prevent
trained staff leaving - to work for health services in developed countries, including
Britain.
The hospital has its own school for State Enrolled Nurses. Many
of the students are sponsored by Inside Out viewers and are committed to staying
in The Gambia. Helping to persuade them to stay are the new accommodation
blocks, also paid for by viewers. For the first time, the nurses have their
own bedroom, sitting room and bathroom. People
power  | | David
Whiteley in Africa - looking at the positive lessons |
We also
caught up with some of the people we聮d met last time. Inside Out follows
the progress of Alhagie Bah who had been fitted with a prosthetic limb after having
his leg amputated.
Find out what happened to Alhagie in our special online
film. Bansang Appeal If you would
like to make a donation or provide support, you can contact the appeal at: To
contact Anita Smith at the Bansang Hospital Appeal, send a letter to: Anita
Smith, Bansang Hospital Appeal, 4 The Leys, Orlingbury,
Kettering, Northants,
NN14 1JE.
Alternatively visit the website below.
Links relating
to this story:The 成人快手 is not responsible for the
content of external websites | 
听听Coming
Up : Inside Out - East: Friday January 12, 2007