Welcome to the Department of Paediatrics at the Edward Francis Small Teaching Hospital (EFSTH), The Republic of The Gambia.
VISION
To achieve the best possible health and well-being for children in The Gambia and West African Subregion
MISSION
• To be exceptional in training clinicians in Paediatrics and Child Health and foster the future leaders in Child Health
• To work in multidisciplinary teams to render high quality and effective Child Health care through the best possible curative, preventive, rehabilitative and promotional practices
• To be a leading source of information and expertise on childhood diseases
• To engage in research and use the latest evidence to advance Child Health care
• To be in the forefront of advocacy for the Health and Well-being of children through family centered care and awareness creation
• To work effectively to protect the Welfare of staff within the department
STAFF IN THE DEPARTMENT
The Department presently has 5 Consultant Paediatricians/Trainers as core staff, 2 Senior Registrars, 10 Registrars, a Medical Officer and 15 House Officers and a Departmental Secretary.
UNITS IN THE DEPARTMENT
1. Newborn Unit
2. Emergency Paediatric Unit
3. Paediatric Cardiology
4. Paediatric Nephrology
5. Paediatric Pulmonology
6. Paediatric Gastroenterology
7. Paediatric Neurology
SECTIONS IN THE DEPARTMENT
There are 6 sections, with 4 as core clinical sections, namely;
1. Newborn Intensive Care Unit
2. Paediatric Medical Ward
3. Emergency Paediatric Unit
4. Paediatric Out-Patient Department
5. Paediatric Laboratory
6. Offices and Utilities
Newborn Intensive Care Unit (NICU)
The NICU admits newborns (up to age one month) to inborn and outborn wards. The unit has a Kangaroo Mother Care facility, a Side Laboratory, mothers’ breastfeeding and accommodation areas and doctors on-call rooms. Plans are advanced to build a new unit above the Obstetric theater/Labour room. Procedures undertaken include modified CPAP (continuous positive airways pressure), phototherapy and exchange blood transfusion.
The unit holds two clinics each week starting at 08.30:
• Tuesdays – General neonatology
• Wednesdays – preterm follow-up
Paediatric Emergency Unit
This is an 8 bedded facility where all medical and surgical paediatric emergencies (except trauma and burns) aged one month to 15 years are assessed and stabilized. It has triage, acute and stable patient management and isolation areas, a procedure cubicle as well as nutrition rehabilitation and diarrhoea treatment rooms. It also has a Side Laboratory and a Consulting Room. There is also an on-call doctor’s room and the Nurse In-Charge Office.
Paediatric Medical Ward
This is a thirty bedded ward for admission of children aged between one month to 15 years. It has isolation and procedure cubicles, a Side Laboratory and a Counselling Room. Procedures include spirometry and access to echocardiography and peritoneal/haemodialysis. On-call doctors’ rooms are located on the first floor.
Paediatric Outpatients
This is where all the non-emergency paediatric cases and complicated but stable cases aged one month to 10 years are attended to. Children 11 years and older are managed by the Family Health Physicians in the Polyclinic.
There is a General Paediatric Outpatient Clinic run daily from 08.30.
Specialist clinics start at 08.30 with the weekly schedule is as follows:
• Mondays Pulmonology/Infectious Disease
• Tuesdays Cardiology
• Wednesdays Gastroenterology and nutrition; Haematology
• Thursdays Neurology
• Fridays Nephrology
Clinics are not held on public holidays
Paediatric Laboratory
This is an automated laboratory where chemistry, haematology and some microbiology assays are available. What cannot be obtained here is done in the Hospital Main Laboratory.
TRAINING AND CONTINUAL PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
The Seminar Room seats about 35 people with TV screens for better visualization of presentations. There is a Clinical Skills Training Room with a mannequin. The Departmental Library that can accommodate 10 library users with books and desktop computer with internet connectivity and HINARI linkage.
RESEARCH
The department is developing its own research activities especially with a view to supporting Dissertation projects required for Fellowship of the West African College of Physicians. We are also a collaborating site for national and international research projects in paediatrics.
PARTNERSHIPS
Existing partnerships with the Humanity First UK, Nemour Child Healthcare system, USA, International Child Palliative Care Network, University of Edinburgh provide critically important training and essential equipment. We are keen to help establish and support parent groups. Our busy haematology clinic is closely linked to the active local charity: “Parents Fighting Against Sickle Cell Disease” and we are advancing numerous joint activities.