Health Care in The Gambia - An Insider View

Submitted by Deeborr Ndenn, NWHSU Chiropractic Student

Imagine that every time that you took an aspirin, ibuprofen or any of your usual over the counter pain medication, you had to worry about whether or not it was actually an aspirin. Imagine you were unable to afford to go to a pharmacy to buy costly drugs and that the only option available to you would be to purchase what is available at the street convenience store. Imagine how scary this would be because there are no guarantees as to the contents of what you are purchasing. For all you know, it could be made by someone operating a personal factory in their house.

Well that is the day to day experience of many Gambians. The Gambia is the smallest and also one of the poorest countries in West Africa. However, unlike many of it's neighboring countries in that part of Africa, it has been fortunate to maintain lasting stability for the most part since gaining independence in 1965.

When I look back at the number of times that I fell ill during childhood, I have now come to the conclusion that it is just be pure fate that I am still alive. I cannot begin to count how many times I had malaria alone. In my seventeen years in The Gambia, I either have personally known or heard of someone who died of malaria, cholera, yellow fever, hepatitis or tuberculosis. To many people in the Western world, these diseases are either unheard of or are easily curable. Unfortunately, to many Gambians, these are common occurrences.

My first exposure and introduction to Western health care system happened almost 7 years ago when I first arrived in Minnesota. I learned that I had to be enrolled in what was called a "health insurance plan." Prior to this, whenever I was sick, I would just pay a visit to our family doctor at his clinic at his residence, would be examined and then given a prescription to fill at the pharmacy of my choice. For more critical illnesses, I would go in for treatment at one of the private hospitals. With both of these, my parents would pay for the expenses out of pocket.

The reason for this narrative is to offer a different perspective of health care. At the moment, it might seem ridiculous and unfair in the U.S, that citizens are voting and fighting for the right to see their Chiropractor or ther natural care provider as many times as needed, but from my perspective, seeing health care advance in the U.S. gives me hope for other countries in the world that are much further behind in health care. Hope for places like The Gambia that are merely begging for a health care approach that is safer than the counterfeit drugs that are available right now. Hope for a health care system that ensures availability of competently trained health care practitioners to the society.

Imagine with me a Gambia where people do not die of preventable and curable diseases such as cholera and tuberculosis, a Gambia in which poverty and lack of education are not the major causes of diseases, and yes a Gambia where Chiropractic is practiced.