On 28 August 2023, Ambassador Thippawan Supamitkitja, together with Dr. Ousmane FAYE, Chief Medical Officer of the Health Center and the District of Thiès, presided over the Medical Tools and Equipment Handover Ceremony. Representatives of the Mayor’s office, representative of the Khalifa and Keur Mame El Hadji community, and Ms. Papada Pakdethanakul, Second Secretary, staff from the Royal Thai Embassy in Dakar, as well as the medical personnel and health center’s staff also attended the ceremony. The medical equipment worth 1.17 million CFA francs (approximately 68,000 baht) was donated to the El Hadji Mounirou Ndieguene Secondary Health Center in Thiès by the Royal Thai Embassy in Dakar.

This health center is a public health center for the community in Thiès, established in 2019.  The 2023 action plan includes the opening of an ophthalmology department in order to provide a more comprehensive health services for the people in the community. The ophthalmology department will provide examination by ophthalmologists, detecting eye diseases and other diseases related to eye vision. Early detection can lead to timely treatment and prevent the possibility of vision loss or complications. The Embassy’s project has helped expand eye care services to underprivileged community members, promote social equality especially access to health care which will lead to a better quality of life not only for the people in Keur Mame El Hadji district, but also the neighbouring areas of Médina Fall, Randoulène and others. This will also create more access to eye health services for Senegalese in remote areas without traveling to Dakar.

On this occasion, the representatives from the health center expressed their sincere gratitude to Thailand for contributing necessary equipment that helps improve public health care in Senegal. Ambassador Thippawan reiterated the objectives of the project which the Thai government recognises the importance of providing medical equipment to hospitals and health centers in need.

By distributing the equipment to various cities throughout Senegal, it will help reduce the number of patients from overpopulated hospitals in Dakar, as well as reduce travel expenses for the people in different areas. Moreover, Thailand can be the lead as a country that supports Universal Health Coverage (UHC), leaving no one behind.