By- Balungtang Bojang
Earlier this year, I witnessed an incident during a third-division football match at Serekunda East Mini Stadium that left me deeply concerned about the state of medical support in Gambian sports. One of the players suffered a serious tibia fracture, and the chaos that ensued in trying to get him proper care revealed a glaring issue: our athletes are playing in dangerous conditions without adequate medical support.
The match was abruptly halted when the injured player collapsed in agony. It quickly became clear that the situation was serious. Yet, as time ticked on, it became equally clear that there was no ambulance present, and only one first aid personnel on-site, wholly inadequate for such an emergency. The player, crying out in pain, had to endure an agonizing 45-minute wait as frantic efforts were made to arrange transport to the nearest clinic.
A concerned fan eventually offered their car, but in an absurd twist, the sports committee personnel refused to allow the vehicle onto the pitch, citing concerns over damaging the grass. A human life in agony, and we were debating the state of the grass. After a frustrating 15-minute standoff, the driver forced their way onto the field to carry the player to NDEMBAN Clinic.
A Fractured Healthcare System
At the clinic, we received a prescription for a scan to assess the extent of the injury. What should have been a routine step turned into a dizzying ordeal. The scan machines at Kanifing Hospital weren’t working, Westfield Clinic didn’t have the personnel to operate theirs, and time continued to slip away. As the hours passed, the boy’s family, overwhelmed by anxiety, began suggesting traditional healers—an all-too-common fallback when modern medical care is inaccessible or inefficient.
I knew this could be disastrous, as treating a fracture improperly could easily end his career. A quick call to a friend helped us avoid this dangerous path, and we were finally able to secure a scan at EFSTH in Banjul late that night. But it was already 11 PM by the time the results came back, and that was just the beginning of a long and frustrating journey.
Over the following weeks, the boy waited in limbo, his leg stabilized by a cast but no surgery scheduled. The EFSTH, our main public referral hospital, was struggling under the weight of staff shortages, limited resources, and a long waiting list. The fear that the bone might heal improperly without timely surgery grew stronger every day.
Out of desperation, the family explored private clinics. Here, we encountered another layer of injustice: the same doctor handling his case at EFSTH was available for surgery at a private clinic—for a fee of 100,000 GMD. While the private clinic offered a surgery date within five days, this was a cost the family simply couldn’t afford.
Fortunately, the boy finally received a call from EFSTH, and surgery was scheduled just three days before the private clinic date. He was one of the lucky ones. Many athletes in similar situations are not.
An Urgent Call for Reform
This is not just one unfortunate story—it’s a pattern, and it highlights a crisis. Gambian athletes are risking their careers and their lives without the basic medical infrastructure needed to protect them. Public hospitals are underfunded, understaffed, and stretched beyond capacity, while private clinics, though better equipped, remain out of reach for most.
Sports, particularly football, are integral to our national identity and pride, yet the health of our athletes is neglected. It’s not enough to rely on luck or the generosity of fans to transport injured players or provide emergency care. There needs to be a systemic overhaul.
The Gambia Football Federation (GFF), the Ministry of Youth and Sports, and the Ministry of Health must urgently collaborate to create a sustainable plan to address these issues. This means having ambulances on standby at every game not only for first and second division games, trained medical professionals present, and a clear system in place to ensure swift and effective care when injuries occur.
International partnerships could play a crucial role in this effort. FIFA, CAF, and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) have the resources and the reach to support the development of sports-specific medical facilities in The Gambia. Public-private collaborations could also provide solutions, creating access to high-quality medical care for athletes at all levels, not just those who can afford it.
There’s a real opportunity here for The Gambia to establish itself as a leader in sports medicine in West Africa, a position that could also boost medical tourism. Senegal has capitalized on its well-developed healthcare infrastructure, attracting patients from across the region. With the right investment, The Gambia could do the same, ensuring that athletes from both within and beyond our borders have access to the care they need.
The Stakes Are Too High
This recent incident serves as a stark reminder of what’s at stake: careers, futures, and lives. Injuries are part of sports, but they shouldn’t be the end of an athlete’s journey. We owe it to our players—to protect them on and off the field.
The Gambia cannot afford to let its athletes fall through the cracks of an underfunded healthcare system any longer. It’s time for serious action, because for many, it’s a matter of life and limb.
