Senegambiagroup

The goal of this project is to render an existing wing of the Sukuta Health Centre, situated in Sukuta Village, operational so that the Maternity Unit of this field hospital can be transferred to this wing.

The project will be carried out with involvement of the local authorities (medical staff of Sukuta Health Centre and the Sukuta Village Development Committee) and with the support of Gambian authorities as well. The SHC services 16 villages in that area.

The population is approximately 40,000 and 60% of this population suffers extreme poverty. The majority of the SHC's patients are pregnant mothers, their babies and young children, although other primary health care needs are catered for.
The prevention of and fight against malaria is one of the main goals. Hundreds of Gambian children and adults die of malaria every year.

A relatively "new" wing of this health centre is still not operational because of various inconveniences/defects, etc.
Making this building operational could help solve the extreme pressure on the health care provisions of SHC.
A previous Steen vzw project (Vrienden van Sukuta /Friends of Sukuta), namely the delivery of small items of medical equipment, and medicines, etc., in January 2008 brought home to us the urgent need of space in SHC and resulted in the development of this project.