By: Kebba AF Touray
Dr. Ahmadou Lamin Samateh, The Gambia’s Health Minister, has said the Government of the Gambia has secured funding from both GAVI and BADEA, for the construction of six health posts and eight new health centers across the country.
Dr. Samateh said this before members of the National Assembly on Wednesday, 17 July 2024, while responding to a question put to him by the Member for Foni Kansala, Hon. Alimameh Gibba, on behalf of his fellow lawmaker from Foni Brefet, Hon. Amie Colley.
In his question, Hon. Gibba asked the Health Minister to indicate how soon the Ministry is going to construct the said centers, while noting that some time ago, the Minister pronounced Kanjabina as one of the villages included in the list of new health centers to be constructed.
In his response, Health Minister Samateh said “constriction work for the first phase, which is the sixth health facilities, has started’’, adding that funding has been secured for the second phase of eight facilities which will include Bulenghat and Kanjabina in the West Coast Region. He said the facilities include Chamen Kerr Baidam in the NBR; Koro Jula Kunda in URR; Medina Madun in NBR; Bakau and Tallinding in the Kanifing Municipality and Timbingkoto. He said work on these health facilities is expected to start in September 2024.
In a supplementary question, Hon. Gibba asked the Minister to indicate the immediate measures to be taken by his Ministry as per the status quo of the health center in Kanjabina, saying with the current situation of Foni Brefet, Kanjabina which has no health facility close to the village except in Sibanor and Brikiam.
Dr. Samateh said health services are continuously being provided for residents of the area even before the commencement of this project, and that this service provision will continue. He said as a developing country, the Gambia is not where ‘we want it yet’, noting that the construction of new health facilities will ensure access and equity in health service provision. On his part, the Member for Foni Bondali, Hon. Dembo Sanneh, asked the Health Minister to state whether all the said facilities will start operations in September.
In his response, Health Minister Samateh said the construction of all eight health facilities will start in September, and confirmed that construction works for six health posts have started across the country. He said very soon, his Ministry will do formal foundation stone laying for all the facilities funded by GAVI. Dr. Samateh said the funds for the construction of the eight health facilities by BADEA, are already available.
