By Bakary Touray Jr.
President Adama Barrow has informed the nation that his government is committed to achieve Universal Health Coverage by 2030. The nation’s chief made the disclosure during his recent State of the Nation Address before the National Assembly of the Gambia, attended by the Legislative Representatives of the people, Cabinet ministers and other senior government officials, as well as members of the public.
The President, whose address was televised live by the national broadcaster and other online broadcast media in the country, told his audience that the Government of The Gambia recognizes the fact that health is a basic right for all human beings and that good-health plays an important role in socioeconomic growth and development.
The president charged that to have productive citizens, the health sector must be given to priority. He reported that access to health services in The Gambia has been marked by a tremendous increase and expansion of public hospitals, health centers and primary health care services; adding to build on these, plans are a foot to construct modern specialist hospitals.
“Overall, the Government’s target is to achieve Universal Health Coverage by 2030, in accordance with the Sustainable Development Goals. In this respect, key among the frameworks developed is the Health Financing Policy 2017-2030,” he remarked.
The Gambian leader further said that a good amount of recent investments was used to target specific diseases such as HIV/AIDS, Malaria and Tuberculosis, and immunization services.
For this, President Barrow revealed, the government is indebted to its partners for their technical and financial support to the health sector.
According to him, it’s pleasing to state that The Gambia has improved its indicators on infant and under-five morbidity and mortality rates, having one of the best immunization coverage in the sub-region.
Barrow also stated that the government maintains over 90% vaccination coverage of children against all vaccine preventable diseases, and as such The Gambia was cleared to introduce a second round of the Measles vaccine.
He averred that at the same time, in collaboration with UNICEF, WHO and UNFPA, HPV vaccination coverage has been scaled upcountry-wide to protect our young girls, aged 9 to 13 years, from cervical cancer.
He added that through the Operation Save the Baby Initiative of Her Excellency the First Lady of the Republic (Mrs. Fatou Bah-Barrow) and other partners, effective strategies have been mapped out to roll back HIV/AIDS and various types of cancers. That The Gambia’s Primary Eye Care service is recognized globally as a model in terms of both structure and outcomes.
He said the incidence of blindness in The Gambia has dropped to 0.4%, which, according to him, is comparable to Western standards.
The president believed it’s a source of relief to note to that Trachoma, a leading cause of infectious eye disease around the world, is now at an elimination stage in his country.
To ease movement, he indicated that Government continues to work with Riders for Health for transportation needs within the sector. “In 2018, the organization handed over twenty-nine vehicles for use by the sector. This is a partnership we truly value,” he declared.
Barrow again: “On regulation, work is almost complete on the Mental Health Bill and the National Tobacco Control Regulation for implementation of the National Tobacco Control Act.
“Health care in The Gambia is almost free, especially for maternal and child health services. The indication is that the key sector targets will be realized eventually.”
